Falling for Ai Haibara
by bakane
Summary: "I love Ai..." What will happen when COnan finally realizes his feelings for Haibara? Will love spark? Or will the twisted fate of life mess it all up?
1. Chapter 1

I was caught off guard with emotions when I woke up the following Monday. I don't know why the topic suddenly crossed my mind but it did and the annoying questions in the back of my head irritated me highly for the answers were not clear.  
I don't know where I got these crazy ideas from but it was all I could think as soon as my eye lids flickered opened to greet another day as Edogawa Conan.  
'How long am I going to stay like this?'  
"Probably a while," I answered myself, "that Haibara is such a disagreeable women." I smiled weakly as I said that name. The face of an strawberry blond with a too much of an mature face flashed in my head like some rerun show of a magnificent incident I can't forget.  
I laughed softly to myself watching her in my head. How she gently shrugs her head to reply a obvious no, how her electric blue eyes mesmerize my mind, how her angel-like laugh that is rarely or never heard affects my mental mind, how her usual trade mark smirk slowly dances around her lips, how-  
I flipped up from my bed in shock.  
Another question pranced around my mind, this time with an answer that made me slightly flushed. 'Who do I love?'  
"I love Ai..." 


	2. Chapter 2

(Haibara's POV)  
I woke up quite disturbed from a irritating sound from outside.  
Someone was ringing the doorbell.  
"Who the hell would be here at this time?" I muttered to myself, reluctantly getting up after seeing the clock that read 5 am.  
"What and who the-" I was taken aback when I saw who was standing outside the door, shivering loudly.  
"Kudo-kun?" I asked, "what are you doing here?"  
"Hey, Haibara! Can I come in?" Conan questioned grinning through his chattering teeth.  
"Why are you here?" I asked once again firmly.  
"How about you let me in first?" Conan replied feebly, "it's like freezing out here incase you haven't noticed."  
"Oh, my bad," I smirked.  
"Oi!"  
"All right, all right," I sighed, "get in."

(Conan's POV)  
I quickly stepped into the house, eager to get to talk to her, and desperate to get away from the cold. However, when I turned around from the coat hanger she had already disappeared. I took a deep breath and sighed.  
'A normal girl would say a nice "Come in" and serve some food or atleast greet their guests but nooo...' I sighed in my head and then grinned.  
"But my Ai's not a normal girl now is she?" I laughed softly to myself, and then proceeded towards the lab in the basement which is probably where she would be lingering.

I quietly opened the door to find... Ai.  
She was rapidly typing on her computer, her face was agitated with irritation and her face was stone hard serious as always. I debated on whether I should barge in or not.  
I took a deep breath and took the step into the room.  
Immediatly I heard her sigh and ask me, "What Kudo?"  
"Ah, Haibara," I replied sheepishly, "how are you doing?"  
"What do you want Kudo-kun? And why are you here?" she asked me, completely ignoring my question.  
"Ah, about that. Do you really need to know?"  
"No, not really."  
"Anyways..."  
A short silent pause. More rapid typing.  
"God, Haibara you type like a maniac."  
"Thank you Kudo-kun," a short reply came back.  
"...I'm bored. What should I do?"  
"Anything that would entertain yourself," Haibara replied, "EXCEPT anything that would not annoy me in any possible way." "Then... there's nothing I can do," I sighed.  
"That's too bad."  
"You don't sound sorry."  
"Did I every say I was?"  
"... God, Haibara, you're so mean."  
"God, Kudo-kun, you're so annoying."  
"...Who do you like?"  
"Genta-kun."  
"EH?"  
"Just kidding," I heard her sigh with exasperation.  
"Good, I almost got a heart attack there," I yelled, highly annoyed that I was tricked so easily. "It's your fault being so gullible."  
"Shut up," I muttered weakly and sighed.  
"Seriously who do you like?"  
"Kudo-kun, WHY are you suddenly so interested in my love life?" she asked me dangerously turning around from her computer.  
"I...uh," I started blushing.  
"That's it," she said as she suddenly stood up, "get out."  
"What?"  
A quick, hard push, a shove and a slam.  
I grinned to myself.  
"That's my Ai all right," I said to myself grinning happily.

(Haibara's POV)  
'My god that Kudo's finally gone,' I thought.  
"What was he doing here 5 am in the morning anyway?" I muttered to myself. I glanced around at the clock. It was 6.  
"School starts at 7. Gosh, that Kudo woke me up 2 hour early," I growled to myself as I opened my room's door to walk downstairs, "if I start to-  
I froze on the spot.  
Someone was in the kitchen. I slowly came down the last two steps of the stairs silently.  
"Haibara!" a voice yelled out.  
I instantly jumped and flipped around to face... Conan.  
"What the hell are you doing?" I growled, "you almost gave me a heart attack. AND why are you still here? I thought you left after I threw you out of my room!"  
"Uh... well I stayed... and I was trying to..." "Trying to what?" I asked with high irritation.  
"Trying to..." I saw him glance slightly at the kitchen.  
"You're hiding something," I told him as I proceeded past him into the kitchen.  
"Ah! Wait! I'm not finished!" he cried out to me.  
"What ever you were working on better be something reasonable or else you-  
My jaws dropped as I saw the kitchen table filled with food that looked delicious.  
"Ku, Kudo?" I questioned to the boy who walked beside me, "did you do this?"  
"Yeah... um... about that Haibara, just don't-  
I took a piece of the cake that was beautifully displayed on the table, utterly speechless. I put it in my mouth and slowly started to chew.  
"Ah, wait!"  
"Blech!" I immediately felt disgust in my mouth and had a hard time not to spit the food out.  
"God, Kudo what was that?" I asked as I gagged from the aftertaste.  
"I told you I'm not finished," I heard him mumble.  
- 


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you all right?" a voice asked me with worry, "do you feel sick from eating that..."  
"Thing you call food?" I smirked, "it'd take more than an hour to polish off that disgusting taste."  
"Don't be so mean... I mean I thought it'd taste good..." I heard him mumble sadly.  
I turned to him taken aback by his gloomy behavior.  
"It's the thought that counts anyway," I told him, hoping it would make him feel better.  
It did. With instinct affect.  
"Next time it'll be perfect~!"  
"Uh... Next time? I believe I don't want another next time."  
"I'll come later this time."  
"Whatever," I groaned. The bell rang alerting them that school was about to begin. It was so boring to learn something you learned years ago and amusing at the same time being praised for getting perfect on a first grader test. "Haibara... are you free... this evening?" I heard him slowly mutter to me.  
"This evening? Sure, but why?"  
"I was hoping if you would go somewhere with me."  
"Like?" I questioned with my eyebrows raised high with suspicion.  
"I promise it'll be fun. So, Pleasseee," he begged.  
"What are you going to-  
"Just say yes! Is it that hard?" he shouted.  
"How am I suppose to know what kind of hell I'm going to go through if I don't learn about the detail first?" I hissed.  
"It's not going to be hell! I'm just trying to make up for this morning," he dropped his voice suddenly and added quietly, "I really want to..."  
I looked at him, confused. I was now sure he wasn't trying to bring me to some stupid place that will obviously bore me to death. But still... what was he up to? And why was he asking me? "Fine," I answered with defeat, "I'll go."  
"YES!" I heard him yell with victory. "God, it's amazing how fast you recover Ku-  
"Conan-kun! Haibara-san! Please pay attention!"  
"Hai!" "Hai."

(Conan's POV)  
"So where is this special place you want to take me Kudo?" I heard her ask me as we walked out of school.  
"First, let's go home. Drop of our bags and then go."  
"Right," she nodded. 


	4. Chapter 4

(Conan's POV)  
"So where is this special place you want to take me Kudo?" I heard her ask me as we walked out of school.  
"First, let's go home. Drop of our bags and then go."  
"Right," she nodded.

"THIS is where you wanted to go?" she inquired staring at me dumbfounded.  
"This isn't all," I told her smiling smugly, "after this there is three more places I want to go."  
"God Kudo, how long is this going to take?" Haibara asked but didn't wait for an answer, "come on. Let's go."  
"Yes, let's," I smiled and made an attempt to hold her hand.  
She looked at me with widen eyes as our hands met each others.  
I held it tightly, just enough not to make her hurt.  
She didn't move away.  
Always a good sign.  
We walked inside of Tropical island.

"God, Kudo. There is no way I'm riding this thing," Haibara refused.  
"Come on Haibara, 'mystery coaster' is the best ride in here! You have got to try it!"  
"But-  
"PLEASE?"  
Haibara groaned.

"Kudo you are unbelievable," Haibara muttered to me as we took a seat on the ride.  
"Thank you," I replied happily.  
The ride started to move. clink, clunk, clink, clunk.  
The cave went dark.  
"What's going on?" Haibara asked, "is this part of the ride?"  
"I don't know..." I replied dumbly.  
"You don't know?" "I never rode this ride before."  
"Then how do you know it's the best ride?"  
"It's what I heard."  
"God, Kudo you could have at least checked what kind of ride we are going on!" she yelled at me. It was dark, but a bit of light was produced as they went along the trail.  
I opened my mouth to apologize when someone caught my eye.  
A man in black...  
With a gun...  
Right behind Haibara.  
"Oh my God, Duck Haibara!" I yelled quickly trying push her head down with mine.  
"What the hell Kudo?" she shouted, pushing my hand away.  
"There's a man there with a gun!"  
She turned to where I was pointing.  
I thought she'd start to shiver. Shake with fear and turn to me with eyes filled with terror. What I didn't expect was for her to turn around with a smirk on her face.  
"What, what is it?" I asked her, worried in my head if she was mentally all right.  
"Do you know what kind of ride this is Kudo?" she asked me.  
"What? how should I know? A rollercoaster? Does that really matter right now? We could have been killed and we could be killed any sec-  
"Kudo this isn't a rollercoaster," she said firmly, her smirk growing bigger.  
"Huh?"  
"This ride... is a ride designed to scare people. It's a ghost house!"  
And with that she laughed.  
Her laugh, was something I have never heard in my life.  
It was rare to see Haibara even smile, but now I was hearing her laugh.  
It was much different from anyone's laugh. It had it's unique parts.  
First of all, it was new to me, yet special. Second of all, it was beautiful. I had never heard of anything more beautiful ever in my life.  
Her soft voice makes her laugh so smooth and fresh like fresh breeze. Her laughter was like a song sang to me by a angel.  
'It was worth it,' I thought to myself as we got off the ride.  
Her laughter was gone, and replaced back with her cool facade and a usual smirk, but the sound of the sweet sound ringing in my head will never be forgotten.

"Isn't so ironic that you're bringing me to a place like this?" Haibara smirked at me.  
"Oi, oi. Believe me I'm real good," I reassured her with a smile.  
"Let's see about that."

"The song I'm going to sing is... Aha! I'll sing... 'Hey, Soul sister' by train," I announced looking through the list.  
"God... Kudo... You're going to sing THAT song?" Haibara sneered.  
"Shut up! I'll bet I'll score 100."  
"Yes, I'm so sure of it," she said sarcastically.

Heeey heeeey heeeey...

Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains I knew I wouldn't forget you and so I went and let You blow my mind Your sweet moving The smell of you in every single dream I dream I knew when we collided you're the one I have decided Whos one of my kind

Hey soul sister hey that mister mister on the radio stereo The way you move aint fair you know Hey soul sister I don't want to miss a single thing you do Tonight Heeey Heeeeey heeeey...

Just in time I m so glad you have a one track mind like me You gave my love direction A game show love connection we can't deny I m so obsessed my heart is bound to beat right Out my untrimmed chest I believe in you like a virgin your Madonna And I'm always gonna want to blow your mind

Hey soul sister hey that mister mister on the radio stereo The way you move aint fair you know Hey soul sister I don't want to miss a single thing you do Tonight

Well you can cut a rug Watching yous the only drug I need Some gangster I'm so in love You're the only one I'm dreaming of you see I can be myself now finally In fact there's nothing I can't be I want the world to see you'll be with me

Hey soul sister hey that mister mister on the radio stereo The way you move aint fair you know Hey soul sister I don't want to miss a single thing you do Tonight (Repeat)  
Heeey Heeeeey heeeey, tonight

"I'm speechless Kudo... I'm actually speechless," Haibara said, her smirk dancing on her lips again.  
"Aww... Did I blow your mind away that much?" "You wish," she replied, her eye brows rising in amusement.  
"Come on, I must have been great!"  
"Yes, I'm sure," she continued on smirking.  
"Seriously!"  
"It's okay Kudo. I'm sure this will last in my brain for a long time," she told me.  
She said this without a thought...probably. Maybe it was just another sarcastic remark... I can never know the difference.  
It could have been... I hope it wasn't.  
What she didn't know was that simple thing set my heart on fire-whether it was sarcastic or not-like a chain reaction, the words came through my ears, lighting my face on fire. Then continued down my throat, to my arms with unnecessary tingling at the end of my finger tips. At last it reached my heart, and made my whole body heat up. It was weird. It was stupid. It was-  
"Are you okay Kudo-kun?" she asked me, "your face is extremely red."  
"Ah!" I gasped and blushed even more in embarrassment.  
"Kudo-kun?" she came closer to me in concern, "you're acting weird."  
Inches closer.  
Just an inch away.  
"A,ah, you're turn!" I outburst holding out the mike to her.  
She looked at me strangely and said flatly.  
"No thanks."  
There was more than refusement in that reply.  
I looked at her after my heart calmed down... a bit.  
Her eyes were filled with regret and sorrow. Maybe also a hint of guilt?  
It was just like that time... when we first met...  
When I was so stupid and blamed her for my problems.  
Those same eyes that burned into my heart.  
"What's wrong Haibara?" I asked slowly, wanting to find a way to ease those sorrowful eyes.  
"I- it's nothing Kudo," she said averting her eyes somewhere else.  
I was disappointed and sad that she wasn't close to me... Close enough to tell me her problems... her sorrows... her pain... her past.  
I sighed. "You can tell me Haibara," I said softly, "I'll understand."  
Her next reaction surprised me.  
"No one understands how I feel!" she shouted, her eyes cold as a winter night, piercing into me.  
"No one," she repeated solemnly.  
I didn't know what to say. She continued to stare at me with those fierce eyes that fired up inside. But soon the fire faded away and was left was a pair of tired, lifeless, sky blue eyes.  
"I'm sorry Kudo-kun," she muttered to me and stood up, "I kind of ruined the moment didn't I?"  
I didn't reply. For some reason, I didn't know what to say. My lips were closed, shut, not moving... unable to open up.  
She looked away from me and started to walk for the door.  
I reacted immediately.  
"Don't go!" I shouted at her, pulling her back by grabbing her hand.  
She slowly turned around and looked at me with confused eyes.  
"I... don't want you to go. Don't think that no one understands you," I held her hand tighter to reassure her, "I'm here. I'm here to understand you. I'm here to help you, to protect you."  
'To love you,' I cried in my head.  
The icy blue eyes that seemed to be observing through my soul, softened after a while.  
"Thank you Kudo-kun," she smiled weakly.  
"Call me Shinichi," I told her, which made her more taken aback.  
"Thank you Shinichi," she said with a true grin this time.  
"May I call you Shiho?" "Yes... you may."  
"Shiho... Would you please tell me what is bothering you?"  
Her eyes turned weary once more.

"Come on Shiho... sing!"  
"No, onee-chan. I don't want to sing."  
"Singing totally relieves stress. Just trust me on this one!"  
"I don't WANT to sing."  
"Please~~ for me?"  
"A no is a no."  
"But Shiho!"  
"NO!"

"I'm sorry nee-chan, but I really don't want to."  
"You have a nice voice Shiho... what's your problem? Why can't you enjoy life as Shiho Miyano, as a normal teen, like you should be at your age?"  
"Because I'm not a normal teen! Because I don't act my age. Because I'm in a murder organization. Because I'm Sherry!"

'Just another memory with nee-san,' Haibara thought, 'a pretty horrible one. One of those I regret the most.'  
She looked up at the ceiling with no reply to me 'What is she thinking of?' I thought in my head, 'this is so annoying! Shiho is so hard to read!'  
I stared at her with my detective observant eyes, trying to figure it out. Trying to figure her out. Her emotions, her feelings her-  
I flinched as she whipped around, her eyes staring at me again.  
"I'll sing," she told me, hesitating a little bit, "but only this once."  
I nodded and handed her mike eagerly.  
"Can I choose the song for you?" I asked.  
Her eye brows rose.  
"Why?"  
"Because I don't want you to sing a depressing or emo song."  
"God, Kudo-  
"Shinichi," I reminded her quickly.  
"Shinichi," she sighed, "I wasn't going to, seeing I'm not emo. But you better not make me sing a stupid romance song or something."  
"Yeah," I chimed with an innocent child smile.

"Kudo! This-  
"It's Shinichi!" I reminded her... again.  
"Shinichi!" she emphasized my name harshly with irritation, "this IS a pointless romance song!"  
"How do you know?"  
"Um... look at the title? "You belong with me?" What the hell? By, Taylor swift! Come on! I refuse to sing songs that have absolutely no meaning to it."  
"This song has a meaning! It's about love! And how are romantic songs pointless?" I reasoned.  
"Romantic songs are almost always quite pointless if it is sang by a teen idol. They usually talk about meeting a beautiful girl or boy. Loving them. You know the usual 'love at first sight' rubbish!"  
I laughed which made Haibara taken aback.  
"What did I say?" she asked me with curiosity.  
"Nothing, it's just that you said 'rubbish' It's funny," I told her holding my laugh back.  
"And just how is saying rubbish funny?" she inquired.  
"You're British!"  
"And...?"  
"You say rubbish with a British accent!"  
"Oh," she grinned slightly, "it's a habit I can't get rid of. Rubbish was my favorite word back in England."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, it was one of the words I never got used to saying it the so called 'normal' way."  
"ONE of them?"  
"I... never got used to saying one more..."  
"Like?"  
"I'm not telling you."  
"PLEASE!"  
"No."  
"PLEASE!"  
"No."  
"PLEASE!"  
"God, no Kudo!"  
"I beg of you! Just say it!"  
"Fine," she sighed. She looked up, her face a bit red from... embarrassment?  
"Water," she said in a British accent. She sounded so elegant and beautiful. It was as smooth as butter and warm as summer. It was delighting to hear and melting my heart and the unique sound.  
'Oh God, she even sounds beautiful in a foreign accent,' I thought in my head, blushing.  
"Yeah I know I get it," she sighed, "go on and laugh."  
"No, you sound perfectly fine," I told her the truth, "you sound very beautiful."  
I gasped.  
Did I just say that out loud?  
She looked at me, her eyes taken aback.  
"Thank you Ku- Shinichi," she told me warmly.  
"Y, yeah," I said, blushing furiously. My heart just melted when she said my name.  
"Now..." she sighed, "back to the song."  
I sighed with relief, thanking God that we got out of the awkward conversation.  
"Just sing it," I told her, "you'll do fine. And don't give me the talk about romance 'rubbish' " I accented the last word, making her give me a death glare.  
"Honestly I should make you say that in front of Mitsuhiko, he'll start crushing you even harder," I sneered turning on the music machine.  
She signaled me a whatever and began to sing.

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset She's going off about something that you said 'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you Been here all along, so why can't you see?  
You, you belong with me, you belong with me

Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself Hey, isn't this easy?

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down You say you're fine, I know you better than that Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you Been here all along, so why can't you see?  
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door All this time how could you not know?  
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry And I know your favorite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?  
Been here all along, so why can't you see?  
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door All this time, how could you not know?  
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

You belong with me Have you ever thought just maybe You belong with me?  
You belong with me

My mouth was hung open the whole time and wouldn't close.  
Her voice was a wow.  
Words could not describe what my ears heard but I will try hard to explain.  
It was basically just an angel's voice.  
How those gentle, soft words reached me was like an angel blew them into my heart. Her style was genuine and special. It was none other than what would be called as "beautiful." I never noticed until now how she says every single word with elegancy, beauty, grace, and, attractiveness.  
"Yeah, er... that was horrible," she sighed.  
God, how I loved her voice.  
I was left speechless so all I could do was shake my head to disagree like a mentally disturbed man.  
"Anyways," she said, amused with my reaction, "Mr. tone deaf detective. Where to now?" 


	5. Chapter 5

"Wow Kudo... this is amazing," she gasped as the food was served.  
"Thanks," I replied happily but felt annoyed that she kept forgetting to call me by my first name.  
"It is good since it's not made by someone eh?" she told me with her amused look.  
"Shut up," I mumbled and added quickly, "eat quickly! I have a place I want to show you!"  
"But-  
"EAT!" I shouted as I glanced at my watch.  
"EAT!" I told the bewildered girl as I wolfed down my pasta.

"We're nearly there," I told her as we climbed up a hill.  
"This better be good," I heard her grumbled behind me.  
"Don't worry," and with a huff I smiled.  
"We're here."

The view was amazing. The orange haze of light was drifting off into night, brightening its surroundings with what looked as if it was fire. the sun, like a large, gigantic orange fireball was burning in the distance, cloaked in clouds which looked like it was randomly splashed with paint of red, purple, blue, pink, orange, and yellow. We leaned against a tree and watched as the day seemed to send out a "good bye." To awaken the night, the light was sinking lower and lower into the water that seemed like the ends of the earth.  
"Wow..." I heard the girl beside me speak.  
"I know," I smiled, "that was my first reaction when I first saw it."  
"God, how did you find a place like this?"  
"Oh, I was just taking a nature walk, trying to clear my mind and found it. It was beautiful," I turned to her and grinned happily, "I accomplished my wish."  
"Your wish?" she questioned me with her eyebrows raised.  
"My wish to show you this sunset," I whispered in her ears as I slowly grabbed her hands.  
"Ah," I heard her gasp.  
"Shiho... I lo-  
"Oi! Look whose here!" a voice called out to me.  
I turned around, annoyed at the interruption.  
It was Mitsuhiko... Genta, and Ayumi.  
"What are YOU guys doing here?" I asked, irritated.  
"We were here to catch beetles but we got lost, and ended up here," Ayumi explained.  
"Catch beetles?"  
"Mhmm," Ayumi nodded.  
I sighed.  
'There goes my private place with my love.'  
"What are you guys doing here?" Genta asked and added with rage, "I saw what you were trying to do with Haibara! Don't deny it Conan!"  
"What?" I flinched.  
"We saw you hold her hand and getting closer to her!" Mitsuhiko came in the argument, "how could you Conan-kun!"  
"Conan-kun wouldn't!" Ayumi yelled, trying to refuse the fact.  
"I, uh," I glanced around to Haibara for help.  
"I have no idea what happened just now so ask the clueless detective yourself," she said.  
'AH! YOU'RE NOT HELPING SHIHO!' I roared in my head.  
"No, you got it wrong! Me and Shiho weren't-  
I gasped.  
I said her real name...  
In front of the kids!  
I mentally slapped myself on the head as the kids stared at me with confused and suspicious eyes.  
"Whose Shiho?" Mitsuhiko asked, "why are you calling Haibara-san, Shiho?"  
"Is Shiho someone we should know about?" Ayumi questioned rapidly.  
"Why did you call Haibara, Shiho?" Genta demanded.  
"I, I," I looked around at Shiho once again, desperate for support.  
"That was a mistake!" I tried to defend myself, "you see... uh... Haibara looks a lot like this girl I know named Shiho and..."  
"Then tell us... whose Shiho?" Ayumi asked.  
"Just a girl I know," I told them, "you guys wouldn't know her. She doesn't live around here! She's... uh... distant cousin of my mom! She lives in England."  
'England? Where did that come from,' I muttered stupidly in my brain.  
"Oh..." Mitsuhiko said, but raged on, "that still doesn't explain what you were doing to Haibara-san!"  
"I was just trying to... I, I... I don't know!" I outburst.  
They stared at me in confusement. Even Haibara.  
"I don't know what I was doing okay?" I muttered and faced Haibara.  
"We'll talk later at the professor s," I muttered to her quietly so the kids won't notice. Then I ran down the hills leaving the kids in confusement and the girl I love, in amusement.

(Haibara's POV)  
That was one of the most weirdest things I have ever been through, I thought in my head, slightly amused at the detective s clueless acts.  
Haibara-san! Mitsuhiko yelled, tell us what was going on! I stared at the three kids, eager and desperate to learn what happened.  
Ask him yourself, I told them acting all secretive which made them more angry.  
We caught you in the act! Genta shouted, we have the right to know! Just because you catch someone in the act, doesn t mean you have the right to know, I replied back coolly, if a police catches a murderer who had deep reasons to do him or hers deeds, the murderer still has the right to keep their mouth shut. Whatever the crime they wanted to or not wanted to commit will be still up to the cop to figure out. And with that I swiftly left.  
(Conan s POV)  
That was a close one, I sighed waling out of the park.  
I felt a hint of irritation as was disturbed when I Was inches away from making a romantic confession in the best private place ever.  
I ll have another chance, I told myself as I proceeded towards the detective agency.  
That night I was restless. Not because I was all too happy about my day with the ever so mysterious Shiho Miyano, but because of another girl A girl that longs for me and waits for me Ran, I thought as I rolled around in my bed, restless, what do I do with you? I had once loved Mouri Ran, and I admit it. She was my love, and my only love. But now there was someone else in my love life.  
Shiho Miyano Ai Haibara Ran is still waiting for me Still loving me but I had fallen for another girl in my child form,. I felt so guilty after sorting out my feelings for Shiho.  
I love Shiho I don t love Ran anymore Shiho is the girl I want to live my life with but Ran is still special to me like a sister I must protect I love Shiho I m sorry Ran 


	6. Chapter 6

Hey Haibara, I met up with the my dream girl along the way to school.  
We need a plan, she replied, ignoring my greeting, after you re little awkward behavior, the kids seems to think we have something going on between us. D,do they now? I started to blush.  
I ll bet they ll start to ask us as soon as they see us. They might have started rumors already. O,oh do you have a plan? No but what do you want to go with? she questioned, me and you, totally saying no, or just say we are in a relationship, get the class all worked up, and then no one will bother us anymore for the rest of the years. I felt my face firing up. Oh god Wow I thought.  
I personally would want to go with the relationship one, I said slowly.  
Oh and why is that Kudo-kun? she asked me with an amused tone.  
I I It will keep away unwanted visitors, I smiled sheepishly.  
Well, is you see it that way I guess it would be quite convenient, she nodded approvingly, so we re going with plan B? I nodded furiously.  
Right I m not very satisfied really It would be so hard for me to pretend I m madly in love with you, she sighed.  
Oi, oi, I yelled as my mouth twitched.  
She smirked at me.  
I guess it will be pretty hard for you too eh? Uh Yeah I said, but secretly inside muttered.  
I already am in love with you How hard can it get?

Just like we expected the whole class were all staring at the door to wait for me and Shiho to come in. Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko had told the entire class and begged them to get the truth out of us. I sighed heavily as the mountains of questions poured onto me and Shiho.  
Were you both on a date last night? Did you hug her? Did you guys kiss? Are you guys dating? Do you love each other? Where did you go? How was yesterday? Whose Shiho? Oh God They still remembered my outburst of saying Haibara s real name, I roared in my head.  
You and Haibara-san owe us an explanation! Mitsuhiko shouted, emerging from the crowd with- Ayumi and Genta by his side.  
Why are you getting the whole class worked up about this? I hissed into his ear.  
Because we want to know! Well it really isn t your business, so we have a right to remain silent. CONAN! Haibara! Help! I shouted desperately.  
She sighed and silently whispered in my ear, I thought we were going with plan B. Kind of hard in case you haven t noticed, I hissed back.  
What me and Edogawa-kun did last night is top secret job that Mouri-kun gave us to do, Haibara explained loudly.  
Mouri-kun? You mean Ran-neechan s dad? Ayumi questioned.  
Yeah, she nodded, he had to give us a job that he couldn t do because he was busy with some case. What kind of job? I can t tell you that. It s police secret. But if it s police secret why would he tell you guys? Because Mouri-kun always gets half-drunk before his cases. He probably wasn t in his right state of mind, but we did it anyway because we were bored. BUT! Genta yelled, that doesn t explain what Conan was trying to do to you last night! What were you trying to do to me last night? Haibara inquired, turning around.  
I uh The great detective is left without an answer eh? Um eh, heh, heh Teacher s here! Everyone in their seats! a kid screamed and I was saved by the teacher.  
But not for long

Oi Conan! Genta yelled, cornering me with Mitsuhiko after school, tell us everything you did with Haibara! You guys never give up do you? I sighed.  
Tell us! Fine I ll tell you I m in l, l, lo-  
You re in what? l, love What? the two boys froze.  
I m in love with Ai You re in love with Haibara-san? Genta repeated stupidly.  
Yes you idiot, I growled, and if either of you have a problem with that, then it s your problem, not mine. But you can t do that Conan-kun! Mitsuhiko outburst, I ve had a crush on her for a long time! You can t suddenly take her! She ll defiantly choose you if, if :  
If you re falling for her! Genta screamed.  
It s not my fault my heart s going for Ai, one of the most attracting girl in this school! I reasoned. You re calling her by her first name! Mitsuhiko yelled in despair, did she even let you? Yeah okay, about that Er she doesn t exactly know about that and er about my side of the story She what? So I would um appreciate it if we keep this between us three, and- Hey wait where are you going?"  
-MEANWHILE-  
"Ai-chan... can we talk?" Ayumi asked the not-so-much-of-a-child girl.  
"Sure. But make it quick. I got to get home and work on something," Haibara replied.  
"...Do you have a thing going on with Conan-kun?"  
"Excuse me?" Haibara turned around with a 'did-u-just-say-what-I-think-u-said' look.  
"Last night... I know you guys were lying... What really was going on?"  
"He took me and bought me food because he owed me a lot after food poisoning me with his so called perfect cooking," Haibara replied dully.  
"Conan-kun c,cooked for you? And he t,took you on a date?" Ayumi yelled with disbelief and devastation.  
"It wasn't a date. Nothing is going on between us. At least it's nothing romantic..."  
"But if he took you on a date then... then that means he must like you!"  
I'm sure it's nothing like tha-  
"Haibara!" Genta roared, suddenly bursting into the room, "Conan is calling you by your first name! AND he says he has feeling for you!"  
"What?" Haibara heard Ayumi whisper in shock.  
"Oi Genta don't do-  
"Conan-kun, how could you!" I was cut off by Ayumi's cries.  
"What?" I asked, "what did I do now?"  
"You like Ai-chan Conan-kun?" Ayumi demanded.  
"I, er, what...? How,, erm, I mean..." I stuttered helplessly.  
"That's what he said!" Mitsuhiko yelled and pointed at me as if he was accusing someone that is obviously guilty.  
"Explain yourself Conan-kun!" Ayumi shouted.  
"Yes, explain yourself," Haibara said to me in a calm voice.  
I blushed.  
"Listen er... there seems to be an misunderstanding between us..." I started.  
"Do you like Ai-chan Conan-kun? Just answer me that!" Ayumi shrieked.  
I looked at the little girl, her face in shock and despair.  
'Wow... this is what happens when a girl is turned down...'  
I sighed and hung my head.  
"I... like Haibara... I'm sorry Ayumi-chan..." I mumbled to the girl.  
Then I quickly glanced up at the others who all had that same mask of shock.  
"I'm sorry!" I yelled once more and I ran out of the room like a maniac, hoping they wouldn't chase me down and start hitting me for breaking their hearts.  
I didn't stop running until I reached the detective agency.  
Ran greeted me at the kitchen.  
"Ah, Conan-kun? Would you like curry?" she asked me.  
"I'm not hungry, I'll pass Ran-neechan!" I replied childishly and quickly headed to my room.  
After flinging myself upon the bed I sighed.  
'What a day...' I thought and fell asleep.

(Ran's POV)  
"Are you sure you don't want to eat anything Conan-kun?" I asked as she slowly opened the kid's door.  
"Oh... he's already asleep," I muttered to myself, "and it's only... three o'clock."

"Haibara-san what's going on?" Mitsuhiko demanded, "Conan admits he likes you!"  
"I... don't know what to say..." Haibara muttered.  
"But you can't fall for Conan... you can't because..." Mitsuhiko flashed a nervous look to Haibara and confessed, "because I'm in love with you!"  
"Er..."  
"You can't say you haven't noticed and it's cruel for you to ignore my feelings any longer! Pick me Haibara-san! I'll treat you better and...love you more!"  
"...Mitsuhiko-kun... I, I can't..."  
"What...?" the little boy asked, crestfallen.  
"It's not because of Edogawa-kun, don't get me wrong..." Haibara quickly added and then sighed, "it's just...me and Edogawa-kun are hiding something... something that we can't tell anyone about or else it would endanger their lives so please don't ask me what it is... If you knew about that secret you'd know well to stay away from me..."  
"But... but..."  
"I'm sorry Mitsuhiko... And the same goes for Yosida-san and Genta-kun," I smiled weakly glancing around at the two other confused children.  
"You'll understand one day... Just don't get too comfortable with me... You actually... won't need to deal with me any longer after a few days," I said and walked out the door, leaving the kids stunned and confused more than ever.

(Mitsuhiko's POV)  
I lost my words as my crush walked out the door after saying things to me that I did not understand. But een though the words didn't exactly say it, it only felt like one thing...  
Rejection.  
'My crush has rejected me... and now... she's hiding something from me...'  
I didn't know why but the thought of not knowing something about Haibara-san annoyed me.  
"Ayumi-chan... are you curious to know?" I spoke out, breaking the silence.  
"...about the secret? then... yes," Ayumi replied, nodding.  
"Then... then I have a plan... IF you're willing to take a risk with me... You too Genta-kun..."  
They both looked at each other, their face a bit nervous but determined. They nodded and Mitsuhiko told them the plan. 


	7. Chapter 7

(Conan's POV)  
I woke up from my sleep as my phone rang loudly beside me.  
"What...?" I muttered, slowly reaching for my phone, still half-asleep.  
"Hello?" I answered and the familiar irritated voice called out to me.  
"What the hell was that Kudo?" Haibara asked, "I thought we were going with the plan that I made up on the spot! You just made everything much more difficult! I had to say to the kids that me and you have a secret and to stay away from me. And just what were you- Are you listening to me?"  
"Yeah..." I slowly replied, "I'm sorry Haibara... they didn't believe that plan so..."  
"Whatever... let's just hope... their suspision is over now..."  
"For the detective boys? Hah," I snorted, "they'll never give up until they know the truth."  
"What devils you created Kudo..." I heard her hiss.  
I laughed softly and asked, "so... why'd you call?"  
"...I made the final touches to the anitdote."  
"Antidote? What anti- OH! You mean to Aptx 4869?"  
"Yes, God Kudo you and you're great memory," I heard her mutter sarcastically.  
"Yeah, and?"  
"Well, tell Mouri-sanm tomorrow that you're going to leave to America with your parents because this one is to work permanently."  
"ARE YOU SERIOUS? AWESOME! But... how will we pull it off?"  
"Just drag your mother here, disguise her- she's good at that- pretend to leave and then come back into your Kudo mansion."  
"... what about you?"  
"Me?"  
"How will you secretly leave?"  
"I...dunno... I'll tihnk of it and work something out so give me today and tomorrow."  
"Find, I can wait. I'll have to do good-bye parties and tell my mom the plan any."  
"Can your mom make time?"  
"That's why I'll have to inform her quickly."  
"Right, see you tomorrow."  
"Bye." She hanged up and I started to grin widely.  
'I'm going to be Kudo Shinichi once again!" I yelled victoriously in my head.  
"Now to tell my mom," I told myself as I dialed her number.

THE NEXT MORNING...  
"Oi Haibara!" I called out to the strawberry blond haired girl standing outside of the professor's house.  
"You're here early Kudo-kun," she replied and off we went to school, talking along the way... our marvelous plan.  
"So I sorted my things out with my mom. She'll be coming to Japan tomorrow."  
"So basically Ai Haibara and Conan Edogawa will be gone by tomorrow."  
"Yep!"  
"I still didn't think of a plan yet."  
"Just say your parents were busy to pick you up because of work and my mom decided to pick you up to because my mom and your mom are close friends."

"What? Not a good story?"  
"..No... that's quite brilliant actually."  
I grinned happily at her satisfied reply.  
"Conan!" a voice called to me.  
It was Genta...and Ayumi. Big shocker...  
"What?" I replied, tired of our constant arguments that popped up because of that "night"  
"The new Kaimen Yaiba movies coming out today! We're all going to watch! Can you and Haibara come along with us?"  
"What? But we're busy and-  
"Please!" they begged us.  
"It would be our last day with them..." Haibara whispered in my ear and I sighed, defeated.  
"Fine," I muttered and added, "where's Mitsuhiko?"  
The two replied in a sync.  
"He's sick! He'll be missing the movie!"  
And as the awkard silence of me and Haibara staring at them with a pecular look continued Ayumi quickly changed the subject and talked about how they got permission already to watch the movie and how we didn't. So "we" would have to go to Agasa's house and permission first.  
"Er... right," I rpelied still staring at them, watching suspiciously of their strange behaviour.  
They smiled convincingly, trying to trick us with their "innocent" child smiles.  
"Anyways," Haibara spoke, "we're going to be late, better hurry in."

"Professor!" the child's shouted as they rang on his doorbell, "are you there?"  
A loud crash, quick movement of shadows from the window and the door swung open.  
"Oh kids hi, I'm busy right now and so you must-  
"Did you forget yet "another" convention?" Haibara questioned the professor, which made him laugh sheepsihly.  
"You know me too well Ai-kun," he smiled as he scratched his head.  
"Can Conan-kun and Ai-chan come watch a movie with us?" Ayumi asked quickly.  
"Yes, er, sure."  
"May I come in quickly and use the washroom?" "Sure, be quick! I'll have to leave soon."  
"Hai!" and the little girl rushed in.

"Mitsuhiko-kun? Do you hear me?" Ayumi whispered into her detective badge.  
"Ayumi-chan?"  
"The plan worked, they're coming along with us. I still can't believe you were willing to miss a Kaimen Yaiba movie!"  
"I'll watch it later on, but now what?" "Just in time! The professor is going to be gone out of the house so we don't even have to ask if he wants to come along with! The plan is working smoothly!"  
"Excellent," Misuhiko shouted with satisfication, "I'm at the back door for the backyard... can you come and unlock it for me and just leave? I can do it from there?"  
"Sure."  
The little girl came out slowly of the washroom. Peered from the dorr to make sure no one was there.  
Snuck down the hallway, quickly opened the lock for the back door.  
"Thank you Ayumi-chan," she heard a small whisper.  
She smiled happily and hurried off outside.  
"Let's go!" she smiled innocently while Mitsuhiko amerged into the house.  
Not knowing... he was being watched... 


	8. Chapter 8

(Mitsuhiko's POV)  
I entered the house and glanced around the professor's lab. I soon realized that there was nothing to look at except for piles of books thrown onto the ground and mechanical parts lying around. 'Nothing would be in the professor's room...' I thought as I past the old man's room. 'Leaves me with the basement.'  
I remembered how the professor once told me not to enter the basement. He said it was dangerous.  
'There must be something there they are hiding.'  
I gasped as I took the last step of the stairs and glanced around.  
There was another lab here.  
However, tt wasn't a lab fit for a inventor.  
It was more of a lab fit for a scientist.  
Like those scenes in movies where the scientists mix chemicals together and make them explode.  
Beside the tables full of experiment testing equipment there was two shelves packed with neatly stacked books.  
'This couldn't have been done by the professor,' I thought as I looked around, 'it's too neat for him to be working down here... But then... who could it be?'  
My thoughts immediatly crossed to Haibara-san.  
'It can't be though,' I reasoned.  
'She's only seven years old like me. She can't already be taking all this advanced science stuff! Okay, she's smart... but she can't be THIS smart! Even me-a science fanatic-don't understand a single thing in this book!' I yelled in my head as I flipped through a gigantic book that seemed to be explaining logic about chemistry.  
I sighed and put the book back, my head throbbing with confusion, and desperately wanting answers for millions of quetions that keep shooting into my head.  
Deciding to leave this later to discuss with the others I walked towards the small room that was in the far corner of the lab.  
I turned the doorknob with determination to find the 'secret' to my beloved crush.  
The small I entered seemed to be... Haibara-san's room. Her room was dull, and empty. Her bed was ivory, the same matching color as her room. On the left side of the wall was a mirror painted in a faint color of white, with a closet beside it, dully colored gray. On the right side was a working table with neat piles of paper on top, a computer, and another shelf full of books.  
I quickly locked the door, wanting no one to disturb me, even though I knew for a fact no one will be coming here for another two hours or so.  
'What is all this stuff?' I thought fursiously as I carefully looked through the papers that was stacked on her desk.  
The first page read,  
"Aptx 4869..." I read out quietly, "what is that...?"  
'Something is so weird here...' I turned on her computer, hoping to find some explanation in there but was quickly asked a password to continue on. Devastated and dissapointed, I shut off the computer without any luck. 'What does she have to hide?'  
I opened her closet this time. Nothing, but pairs of t-shrits, blouses, pants, skirts, and jackets. A blue scarf hung over from a hanger and her black mittens and hats were neatly organized into a small box on the closet's floor.  
'Nothing...' 'Her room hardly looks like...well... a child's room at all!' I thought slightly outraged. "Haibara-san is much more mature than I thought..." I muttered to myself picking out some books from the shelf that caught my eye, "not to mention smart..."  
The piles of books I picked proved to be useless...  
'More chemistry books...' I sighed as I put one by one back after quickly scanning through each of them.  
'Physics, chemi, chemi, chemi, biochemi, chemi, physics, chemi, bio, bio, chemi- what's this?'  
My eye caught an old book that had an grey cover with fashionable designs on the side.  
There was a few reasons why this book suddenly chose to spark my interests.  
First of all...it wasn't related to science.  
Second of all...it looked as though it was quite old, but was kept precious seeing how the spine was still strongly put together.  
Third of all...There was english words fancied over the cover.  
He didn't recognize them but he knew Haibara-san was half-british and realized that this must have come from when she was still at America.  
Fourth of all...a name was written on the back corner of the book. A name that was neatly printed in fine, golden ink. The handwriting read...  
'Shiho Miyano...' I scanned the words and procecssed them in my head.  
'Who exactly are you?' I asked myself and opened the book.

I gasped at what was layed before my hands. It was not what I had expected. In my head I thought it would be a top secret book full of her plans with Conan-kun, or all the secrets she never shared... Her diary I perhapsed. But it was much more than that...  
On the first page of the book was a picture.  
This book was an album...an album of an girl named, 'Shiho Miyano.'  
The picture was in color so it couldn't have been way long ago. There was an blond girl with about the age of seventeen wewaring a bottle green sweather and skinny blue jeans. Beside her was a raven haired girl, slightly taller than the other and more...happier looking.  
I had no clue who these people were, but I noticed two things about them.  
First...they both looked similiar to Haibara-san. ESPECIALLY the blond one. At first I mistaked her as Haibara-san in teenager form but reminded myself that is scientifically impossible.  
Second...those electric, icy blue eyes that sparked on the blond's face startled me. 'Those eyes look so familiar...' I thought, 'a bit TOO familiar...'  
I flipped the page.  
More pictures of those two.  
Another flip.  
Them, again...  
Flip.  
Once again...  
Flip.  
This last picture particullary caught my eye.  
There was a new person in the photo.  
A charming looking blond boy about the age of eighteen was smiling, with the other blond girl in his arms who seemed to be smiling a feeble grin, with a slight blush on her face.  
'They seem to be girlfriend and boyfriend...' I thought in my head and then sighed.  
I shut the album and put it back where I found it.  
'I took this day off from school, not watching the Kaimen Yaiba movie, for this?' I growled in my head, 'I didn't find anything useful that answered my questions! All I got was...more questions!'  
What was Haibara-san hiding?  
Who is the owner responsible for all that work under the name of Aptx-4869?  
Is this lab in the basement owned by the professor?  
What secrest does she have hidden in that computer?  
And who exactly was Shiho Miyano?  
It was then when I heard footsteps from upstairs.  
I froze right infront of the door leading back to the lab.  
'Are they already back?' I thought.  
'No...' I checked my watch, 'it's only two... they shouldn't be back until thirty.  
The footsteps grew louder and louder.  
Clomp, Clomp, Clomp.  
I gasped, terrified with fright.  
Was it a thief that broke into the house?  
'You'd know well to stay away from me...' The last words Haibara-san said to me rang in my ear.  
'Did she really mean that she was dangerous? Did she mean that...she was targeted by a mad man? Did she-  
BAM! The door shook and trembled in shock by the sudden forceful tackle.  
The person outside the door was attempting to break in.  
BAM!  
'What do I do?'  
BAM!  
'What do I do? Oh, what do I do?'  
BAM!  
'Help me, someone help me!'  
BAM!  
"Somebody help me!" I pleaded out.  
For a second, the place went still and silent.  
But the door crashed down before me and I gasped in fear.  
- 


	9. Chapter 9

(Haibara's POV)  
"That movie was awesome!" Ayumi exclaimed happily as they walked out of the movie theater. "It actually was one of the most realistic movies from all the ones you forced me to watch," I agreed.  
"It was the best!" Genta yelled, "now let's get some food!"  
"Now, now, Genta-kun..." the professor laughed nervously.  
"If you keep eating out all the time you'll turn into a pig," I told the fat boy.  
"EH? Really?" Genta shouted in shock.  
"Don't scare the children Haibara," Conan whispered to her.  
"Just stating the facts," I said simply.  
"Yeah but-  
BUZZ BUZZZ BUZZ "That's mine," I told him as I pulled out my phone from my pocket.  
"Hello?" "Is Sherry speaking?" a rather familiar dangerous voice called out through the phone.  
I froze in terror.  
'Bourbon...' I thought, 'it's him...'  
"I know it's you Sherry. Your disguise doesn't impress me anymore," the voice told me in a tone that made me scream inside.  
"So how have you doing Bourbon?" I asked him flatly.  
I heard Conan gasp beside me.  
"Bourbon? Did you say Bourbon? What's going on Haibara? What does he want? Is he-  
I quickly signaled him to be quiet. If Bourbon knows...  
"I've been doing fine Sherry. Although rather a bit lonely without you," the voice laughed with delight that sent chills down my back, "how have you been Sherry?"  
"You don't even care, so why should I tell you?" I stated.  
"Still have a way with words don't you Sherry?"  
"Thank you."  
"...I wouldn't be so happy if I were you."  
"I never said I was, did I?"  
"...you always did have a way to tick me off," this time Bourbon did sound a bit annoyed, "I have your friend."  
Those words echoed through my head.  
'He...what?' I thought with fear crawling higher in my heart.  
"Your little friend seemed to have caught my eye when I visited the house you were staying at."  
'Could it be...' my thoughts reached the worst subject.  
'It can't be...' I argued with myself, 'not...not Hasake...'  
"Say hello to your friend," I heard Bourbon talk not to me but to someone else.  
"Haibara-san? What's going on?" a voice called out desperately, "Haibara-san?"  
"Mi,Mitsuhiko-kun?" I muttered, shocked.  
"Mitsuhiko? They got Mitsuhiko? How-  
Once again, I shot him a angry look and immediately silenced him.  
"Haibara-san?" the voice called out to me, if it's possible, even more desperately.  
"Mitsuhiko-kun..." I replied back, trying to stay calm.  
A part of me was relieved. Relieved the one kept in captivity wasn't the one that cared for me as a father for the past year.  
But a part of me was disgusted by the relief. A little boy that called me a friend and his love was kidnapped.  
Because of me.  
Guilt, shame, disgust, and fear all struck me at once.  
'He's there...because of me...'  
"Mitsuhiko...stay calm... I'm coming to get you," I told him, trying to sound reassuring as possible.  
"You, you don't understand Haibara-san! You can't come! You'll-" but the terrified little boys cries were cut off and the rough, murderous hoarse voice cackled out of the phone.  
"It's a date then," the voice said teasingly, making my blood boil.  
I hung up and turned to the boy detective.  
"I have to go and help him," I said simply.  
"Y,you can't!" Conan shouted at me.  
"I have to... He's there because of me..."  
"He'll kill you if you go," Conan tried to reason with me.  
"Who cares if I do?" I laughed bitterly.  
"I do!" Conan said, his hands rolled up in fists, "I care for you!"  
Taken aback by his sudden worry, I lost my words. But recovered my position quickly.  
"I don't want another person dead because of me," I sighed, trying to make him understand my doings.  
"But...but..."  
"I'll never forgive myself if Mitsuhiko-kun dies," I flashed him a reassuring smile, "I'll be fine."  
He didn't seem so convinced.  
"I'm coming with you," he told me.  
"No you aren't," I sighed.  
"I have to! I can't just send you to that murderer by yourself!"  
"Bourbon may still not know about you!" I tried to reason with the clueless detective, "if you go you'll blow your cover! You still have a chance to live! Besides the antidote is saved on my computer. There's a password but I'm sure you and the professor can figure it-  
"THE ANTIDOTE?" he yelled at me, looking outraged, "HOW CAN YOU BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW?"  
"Why are you worried so much than?" I questioned, "you've been acting strange and difficult these past days. Why don't you just spill it out for me?"  
"I, I..." but he seemed troubled trying to find his words and thinking that this will take forever I sighed.  
"Don't tell me now if you're not...capable," I smiled weakly at the face he shot at me at the last word, "...you're still not coming."  
"OI!"  
"Put sense in that brilliant mind of yours!" I found myself yelling back.  
"That's what I want to say to you!" he shouted, "what makes you think YOU can save Mitsuhiko from Bourbon? What if this is a trap and he haves hundreds of members waiting for you there?"  
"Then I'll take the chance," I said so softly, the detective stared at me.  
"...You've changed a lot Haibara..." he merely said quietly.  
"Oh really? And how did I do that?"  
"...You used to never want to face these things... At least not by yourself...but now..."  
"The situation is different this time," I grinned weakly, "this time someone is actually in life threatening danger because of me. Even though it is a trap I have to go. I don't have a choice. If I don't go... I'll never be able to look at you or...anyone again."  
He looked up at me and I noticed the warmth and understanding in his eyes.  
"All right," he nodded and I smiled slightly.  
"Thank you Kudo-kun..." - 


	10. Chapter 10

(Conan's POV)  
It was five minutes after Haibara rushed out of the playground to the place where Bourbon had told her to meet.

"Did he tell you where?" I asked.  
"No," Haibara sighed, "but I have a clue where."  
"Where?"  
"The place where she died," Haibara muttered bitterly.  
She didn't have to tell me who 'she' was.

'What kind of sick minded people are they?' I growled in my head, 'taking Mitsuhiko captive and wanting her at the place her sister died?'  
I sighed.  
It's only been five minutes and I was worried out of my mind.  
'What if...something happened to her?' I thought, feeling lifeless even at the thought.  
'Shut up Conan, shut up,' I growled at myself, 'she's strong... She won't... she can't...'  
'But she always told you the organization is dangerous, and once you meet them, you're doomed to die,' a annoying voice in the back of my head argued with my thoughts.

"It's the fate that meets a traitor," she said softly, a weak grin creeping up her face.

"You idiot..." I muttered, "you told me you wanted to go by yourself... why didn't you let me go with you?"  
'She doesn't want you there... she hates you... after how you treated her the first time you met her.'  
"Shut up," I told that voice that kept making my heart ache, "it's not like that..."  
'You called her a murderer, you called her one of them, you yelled and screamed, you shattered her heart and all she wanted was help. How could she not hate you?'  
"How could she not hate me..." I repeated the last sentence of the thought.  
It was a question that cut me to the core with such an obvious answer.  
'Of course she does you fool... You said all those things to her and you expect her to love you back?' I laughed bitterly.  
She loves me? She loves me not?  
She loves me? She loves me not?  
She loves me? She loves me-  
'What am I doing?' I screamed in my head, bounding up to my feet, 'here I am worrying if she loves me while she's in danger?'  
'She told you to stay here Kudo,' a voice warned me in my head.  
'Shut up,' I thought, and decided to ignore the voices in my head that kept making me feel uneasy.  
Just as I was about to leave I felt someone's presence beside me. I flipped around quickly to face Ayumi and Genta.  
"Are you going somewhere Conan-kun?" Ayumi asked.  
"Er, yeah!" I answered, nodding furiously.  
'Idiot, stop making yourself so obvious!' I screamed in my head.  
I never was good at hiding things. Haibara always teased me that I'm her open book.  
I smiled at the thought of her.  
"Conan-kun?"  
Shaking the picture of her out of my head, my thoughts raced to worry again as I heard a gun shot mentally in my head.  
"Conan-kun!"  
I jumped.  
"Y,yeah?" I said to the girl, trying to ease my mind.  
"You're acting really weird," Genta grunted.  
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.  
"You're hiding something," Ayumi said, her eyes narrowing with suspicion, "what are you hiding? What are you and Ai-chan hiding?"  
"Me and Ai aren't hiding anything," I sighed, trying to sound convincing.  
"You called her by her first name!" Ayumi squeked, her eyes widening.  
"Conan!" Genta growled.  
I sighed.  
"Listen, not now all right," I cringed at their murderous stares, "I have to go somewhere."  
"Where?" they asked in sync.  
"You guys don't need to know," I answered hesitantly.  
"We need to know."  
"You don't!"  
"We want to know," Ayumi whined, "we're friends! Friends don't keep secrets from each other."  
"We could if it's best for everyone," I insisted.  
"So you are hiding something!" Genta yelled, in a tone that made me feel guilty.  
"I don't have time for this!" I hissed in annoyance.  
They stared at me, they're face determined to know.  
'If they knew Haibara's life was in danger they wouldn't be doing this,' I thought furiously in my head.  
"You can't squirm out of this Conan," Genta shouted.  
"What's your problem Genta?" I roared, "leave other people's buisness alone!"  
"We're just..."  
"Just what?" I huffed, "explain."  
"...You're always so secretive," Ayumi started, looking deeply hurt.  
"What do you mean?"  
"You and Ai-chan are always whispering something to each other," Ayumi muttered, "things we don't understand. You and Ai-chan act so mature all the time. When there is a murder you don't even scream, and Ai-chan...I get the feeling she's way above our age or something. Both of you are way too smart for our age, and now...you're hiding something from us."  
"It's not our fault to be curious and wanting to know!" Ayumi outburst.  
"I, I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely, "but I can't explain right now. After, maybe later. I can't tell the story without Haibara anyway... It's not my story to tell."  
I gave them one more apologetic look and rushed out of the scene.  
'Afterwards I'll explain everything... after...' 


	11. Chapter 11

(Conan's POV)  
I was running faster than I had ever ran before. My throats felt like it was burning but I didn't stop.  
'Haibara...damn...am I too late?' I thought as I furiously ran even faster.  
I gradually slowed down and remembered the sick memory of this place.  
In front of me was three figures.  
'Haibara...' I thought as I gasped for air.

(Haibara's POV)  
BEFORE

Bourbon smiled dangerously as he stood up from the ground. He had a sunglass that shielded his icy blue orbs and a cap over him that covered most of his blond hair, but I vaguely remembered the dangerous aura around him.  
It defiantly was him.  
"I'm impressed," Bourbon mildly chuckled, "you knew I would be here."  
"Whatever," I replied coldly, "what do you want?"  
"I wouldn't be so demanding," Bourbon grinned murderously, "this boy is after all-"  
He took out a gun.  
I suppressed a gasp as he pointed it at Mitsuhiko.  
"-in my hands," he finished and silence greeted him afterwards.  
"...Let the boy go," I said, trying to sound calm, "he's not involved in this."  
"Boy, do you know this girl?" Bourbon asked Mitsuhiko, ignoring my request.  
"I- Haibara-san, who is this man?" Mitsuhiko asked me with panic and fear.  
"Let him go!" I demanded once again.  
"He seems to know you quite well," Bourbon smirked, "after all he was searching through the house you were living in."  
I flinched.  
"What? Why?" I turned my gaze to Mitsuhiko who looked guilty and determined at the same time.  
"I want answers Haibara-san!" Mitsuhiko yelled, "what are you hiding? Who is this man? And...whose Shiho Miyano?"  
My body froze.  
What did he just say?  
"So," Bourbon looked highly amused now, "you didn't tell him?"  
"Don't Bourbon," I warned him.  
"My, my Sherry, I never knew you wouldn't tell him," Bourbon chucked, "you should have known his life would be in danger if-  
"Whose Sherry?" Mitsuhiko demanded, "tell me!"  
"TELL HIM!" Bourbon ordered me, smiling daringly as he shook the gun in his hand teasingly.  
"I,I..."  
"HAIBARA!" I flipped around and found-  
"Edogawa-kun!" I growled in annoyance and panic, "what the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you to-  
"Later, not now," Kudo hissed to me.  
"You're going to get yourself killed," I hissed back, filled with irritation.  
"I'm not," he whispered and flashed me a smile.  
'How could he be smiling?' I thought furiously with annoyance, 'this is serious!'  
"I'm waiting Sherry," Bourbon called me again, "but first...bring me your friend here."  
"No," I replied as I turned around, "first of all, you tell me how you found me and how much you know about me."  
"Very well," Bourbon grinned, "after all it was a rather interesting procedure."  
"Does anybody else know?" I asked.  
"About what?"  
"You know bloody hell what," I snapped.  
"About your little secret?" Bourbon laughed, "no, I really didn't have a choice."  
"What do you mean?" I questioned.  
"Well, as you remember Gin is still out for your life," Bourbon explained with mild interest, "if he knew you were alive, he would come and get you...not me."  
"Oh, so you wanted to steal the opportunity to see my blood?" I smirked.  
"Yes," Bourbon smiled, "precisely."  
"Gin will punish you cruelly when he finds out."  
"I'll say I met you suddenly, and I had to shoot you or else you would be gone to another country."  
"You could write a story Bourbon."  
"Thank you."  
"You're welcome."  
I stared at him and he stared back.

(Conan's POV)  
I couldn't believe this was actually happening. Someone found out.  
'How can Haibara be so calm?' I thought as I watched her carry on the conversation with the murderer.  
"I don't want to tell the whole story," Bourbon said, "you'll have to help me. After all this kid has the right to know right?"  
Haibara glared at him, but her cold eyes softened and was now showing a shade of guilt and pain.  
"My name is Shiho Miyano," I heard her say unwillingly, "in other words Sherry..."  
"And introduce your friend over there," Bourbon smiled and I gasped. Does he know...?  
"Nice to meet you...Shinichi Kudo..." Bourbon grinned broadly.  
"Y,you..." I stuttered, staring dumbly at the man.  
"Shinichi Kudo? Shiho Miyano? How?" Mitsuhiko blurted in confusion.  
"I..." Haibara started, "there is a organization Tsuburaya-kun. With people dressed in black. And they have...codenames."  
"With names of alcohol," Bourbon smiled approvingly, "am I right, Sherry?"  
I heard Mitsuhiko gasp.  
"B,but...then you're a-" Mitsuhiko panicked.  
"I was a chemist in the apartment of drugs. And I had a mission..." I heard her breath in slowly, "aptx 4869."  
"Go on," Bourbon hissed cruelly.  
"Apotoxin 4869 is a drug that is suppose to instantly kill someone and is impossible to trace in the victim's blood. The experiment was a success, but I noticed something wrong. One of the lab rats had a interesting effect... It didn't die but it..." Haibara stopped, and I saw her close her eyes slowly, like she was in a nightmare she didn't want to see or remember.  
"The rat shrunk, am I right?" Bourbon finished for her.  
Her eyelids snapped open and she nodded slowly, ignoring another subtle gasp from Mitsuhiko.  
"S,so...you!" Mitsuhiko was now shaking violently.  
"The drug had a effect of shrinking...I had no idea I would be one of the feeble percent to shrink from the drug rather than survive," Haibara muttered bitterly.  
"That day when you escaped out of the gas chambers," Bourbon asked, "how did you exactly? No wait...I'm going too far. We'll have to tell about precious Akemi and your bloody parents first?"  
Her eyes full of regret and pain quickly fired up into what I see so rarely.  
Pure hatred.  
"Shut up," she hissed dangerously.  
"I never told you it was me who killed your mother and your father," Bourbon put up a innocent face and cackled dangerously, "no wait... I believe I did."  
"Shut up," Haibara shouted furiously and with point five of a second, a gun flashed out of her jacket and into her hands.  
"Going to kill me now Sherry?" Bourbon laughed, "you don't have the guts."  
"Damn you," Haibara swore.  
"Let's carry on the tale," Bourbon replied, "this kid is wanting answers."  
Mitsuhiko was on the verge of fainting, I could tell. There was cold sweat all over his face, his body was trembling in fear.  
For a second, he turned his head quickly and our eyes met.  
Fear, confusion, and panic.  
"Go on Sherry, I want to hear it from your lips," I heard the nasty voice I hated so much once again speak up.  
I heard Haibara mutter another swearword.  
"You killed them right after I was born," she spat with anger, "what else is there to say?"  
"And you were thrown into the black organization," Bourbon added.  
"Forcefully without a choice," Haibara added.  
"But...Akemi got a normal life?"  
"Shut the hell up about her," I could tell he was reaching a nerve point. The gun was shaking mad in her hand from anger.  
"Unfortunately, it wasn't me," Bourbon sighed in disappointment, "I would have liked the full set. Oh well..."  
"Why'd they kill her?" Haibara questioned.  
"You're getting off topic now," Bourbon smiled.  
"I don't care. I still don't bloody know why she died," Haibara shouted.  
"I'm not telling."  
"Damn you."  
"Don't hate me for this Sherry."  
"I already do."  
"How'd you escape?"  
"What do you think?"  
"The drug shrunk you and you escaped through the pipes right?"  
"Correct."  
"And then...?"

Bourbon smiled.  
"The show must go on," he whispered.  
I saw Haibara flinch.  
She turned around slowly and faced me.  
"It's your story to tell...not mine..." she muttered to me.  
I nodded and stepped forward.  
"Akemi Miyano...I met her as a different person. She lied about her identity and I was suspicious. She was responsible for the million yen theft," I said slowly, hoping this doesn't sound offending to Haibara.  
I looked over at her with a worried expression. She gave me a cold nod approving me to go on.  
"One day...at tropical island... I saw two suspicious looking men wearing black," I sighed, "I followed and I found out my suspicion was right. They were threatening a man, and doing an illegal trade. I was too focused on the trade I didn't notice the other one approach me from behind. Gin...hit me on the back and they fed me...aptx 4869."  
Bourbon smiled and Mitsuhiko whimpered.  
"So Conan Edogawa was born," Bourbon smiled.  
I gulped.  
He knew everything.  
"How did you two meet up?" Bourbon asked.  
This time Haibara answered for me.  
"After I escaped from the chamber I went to the only person I knew that had the same condition as me...Shinichi Kudo."  
"But how did you know he was alive?" Bourbon hissed.  
"You should know that," Haibara frowned, "I was ordered to check Kudo's residence because only his death wasn't announced. The first time I searched his house there was nothing, but the second time I did I noticed his childhood clothes were gone. It was then when I presumed he shrunk."  
"Why didn't you tell the organization that he was still alive?" Bourbon questioned, "I believe Shinichi Kudo was marked terminated on the list."  
"For a chemist it's interesting to see your creation with another effect. When I realized my drug didn't kill but shrunk them, I thought that I would like to meet him one day and see the results for myself," Haibara answered.  
"And then what happened?" Bourbon growled.  
"I...went to Kudo for help and..."  
I felt the same disgusted feeling that I felt.  
The shouting and her cool facade shattering for a couple of seconds.

"How do you expect me to understand and help you? You created the drug! How can I help you when you're a murderer? Like them?"

How stupid was I...  
I regret every second of that day.  
That day when I absolutely loathed her and blamed her for my problems.  
It was her. She's the one responsible...  
But no...if it wasn't for her the organization would be still searching for me.  
She saved me, confirming that I'm dead, but I never thanked her for it.  
Instead I gave her so much pain.  
"That day..." I muttered helplessly.  
"I was found outside of Kudo's house. I told him everything and...he first disagreed to help me," another flash of a guilty look, "but we soon made up..."  
'That day...is she still sad about what I said to her?'  
"And then?" Bourbon asked, "and then what?"  
"We became who we are right now. That's the end of the story," Haibara flashed a dark look at Bourbon.  
"The...end..." Bourbon grinned dangerously and his hand with the gun raised.  
Thankfully Haibara was quicker.  
"Don't move," Haibara ordered, her gun was pointed straight at Bourbon.  
"Let's not make any hasty moves," Bourbon whispered curtly.  
"Good idea. Let the boy go. And Kudo-kun," Haibara replied.  
"NO!" I roared in outrage, "I'm not going anywhere-  
"Deal," Bourbon grinned widely, "lower your gun."  
"No," Haibara echoed her words.  
"Don't trust me?" he smirked.  
"Isn't it obvious," Haibara shot a icy look.  
"All right..." he sighed and he dropped the gun to the floor.  
Then the gun exploded with a loud bam.  
I jumped and realized Bourbon's gun was hit with Haibara's excellent shot with a silencer.  
"God, Haibara don't do-  
"Get out of here Kudo-kun," she hissed at me.  
"What? I'm not leaving you here by-  
"GO!"  
"I can't! I-  
She flipped around half way, her gun still pointing at Bourbon, but her other hand stretching out and grabbing my wrist.  
"W,what?" I immediately felt myself fire up.  
"LEAVE," she ordered, "go get Mitsuhiko-kun and leave."  
I nodded dumbly, and she gave me a small push and turned around quickly.  
"Don't move or I shoot," Haibara yelled at Bourbon while I quickly scrambled up to Mitsuhiko and freed him from the ropes.  
Mitsuhiko just shook his head violently as I offered him a hand.  
I sighed and I pulled him off the ground.  
Dragging him off by the wrist I gave one more worried look to Haibara.  
She nodded approvingly.  
"I'll be back," I whispered to her.  
"Don't bother," she hissed back.  
I looked at her, about to retort back but shut my mouth quickly as I sensed the icy, cold eyes creeping back up.  
"Be careful," I told her and rushed quickly out of the scene.  



	12. Chapter 12

(Mitsuhiko's POV)  
It was like there was this chemical reaction inside of me that burst out.  
I was dragged out by Conan, or the seventeen year old, Shinichi Kudo who hid his true identity from me.  
FROM ME- his practically, his best friend. At first I was confused, and I was scared, but when that string inside me snapped, I only felt pure hatred and betrayal.  
I realized that he-who I called my best friend-lied to me.  
He lied about his identity, who he is, where he came from, everything.  
But what boiled my body the most was that he was the only one that stood between me and my love.  
Even with a gun and that look on her face that told me that everything she ever told me was a lie, I still couldn't help but get that fluttery feeling when I look upon her face.  
When the truth was out, the first thing that struck me was anger.  
She lied to me and so did Conan.  
But then it became pity as we got into deeper things.  
Her parents died when she was born, and I could tell by the way she moved and the way she spoke, she didn't want to think about that moment when she found out Akemi died.  
Finally it struck me like lightning on a clear day.  
I have no absolute chance with Ai Haibara-Shiho Miyano.  
First of all, I'm completely underage, but that didn't bother me as much since she in fact was in a child's body that matched the same age as me.  
What bothered me the most was the person she always hangs out with.  
The boy that I thought was my best friend.  
He was taking everything away from me. Ayumi's heart, the intelligence I was always complimented for in class, and the girl of my dreams.  
'If he wasn't there, I would be on a date with Haibara-san. (I'm still going to call her that). If he wasn't here Ayumi wouldn't have fallen for someone else but me, if he wasn't here I would be known as the smartest kid in school. If only he wasn't here.'  
As that thought crossed my head like a gunshot, that tiny bit of friendship and loyalty that was still left inside me broke. And it happened the chemical reaction that I knew would tear our friendship apart forever.  
I quickly stopped in my tracks, which made him trip, gasp and fall to the floor.  
"What the hell Mitsuhiko! Why are you stopping?" he asked me furiously as he stood up from the dusty floor, "don't you realize this is-  
Before I could hold myself in, the fury inside me like a beast that was unleashed sprung forward.  
With angry eyes burning through, and fists clenched hard, shaking from anger, and something else I couldn't make out that boiled my stomach, I struck him on the head as hard as I can.  
I hit him and let him fall on his knees.

(Conan's POV)  
I was running for my life when I felt this emotion swarm around me.  
It felt all so familiar. Something that made me remember that heavy moment I decided to face my back on, thinking it'd be okay.  
It was something I felt on that day Akemi Miyano died.  
I was there. I watched it happen.  
The gun shot rang loudly and I saw with my very own eyes, the body fall to the floor, dead before it touched the hard, cement ground.  
The feeling of anger, annoyance, fear, shock, and regret.  
An mixed up emotion of all sorts of feelings that made my mind throb and scream.  
'If only I saved her. If I just tried she wouldn't be dead. If only I did...Haibara wouldn't be so miserable...If only I didn't let the body fall to the hard floor where it laid motionless. If only I didn't let the men in black walk up to it and throw it in the river. If only...'  
'I couldn't tell anyone what happened,' I thought sadly, 'if I did...I knew they would hunt me down, knowing I saw what they did.'  
'You're a coward...' that voice hissed in my head, and I agreed to the voice for the first time.  
'I am,' I thought bitterly.  
I could feel guilt and regret bottle up inside me.  
I started running faster and harder to forget it with the help of the cold wind breezing across my face.  
'What if the same thing happens to Shiho today? Then what will you do? Will you keep running like this forever...?'  
'Run...run...run...'  
Suddenly, I was halted by a rather sharp pull from the boy I was dragging.  
He stopped so abruptly, I gasped in surprise and fell to the floor. "What the hell Mitsuhiko! Why are you stopping?" I asked him furiously as I stood up from the dusty floor, "don't you realize this is-  
It was all too quick.  
All I saw was the burning eyes of the boy that used to be so afraid and innocent. His fist was up, and his steps were quick.  
With a yell of pain I fell to the ground once again, on my knees, as I rubbed my head to ease the pain.  
"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted at him.  
"You are not my friend any longer," I heard him quiver, "I hate you."  
I stared at him in shock but I shook my head in understanding and sympathy.  
"Listen...I know I lied to you for all this time...but it was for your own good," I tried to explain to him.  
"Shut up! You just...didn't trust us right?" Mitsuhiko yelled.  
"Me and Haibara trusted you guys with our lives...we just didn't want to risk you guy's lives," I whispered with shame.  
"Just telling us the truth wouldn't have been such a big deal!" Mitsuhiko carried on.  
"Well what the hell was I suppose to do?" I fired up, "just tell you everything and not think about the consequences?"  
"The truth," Mitsuhiko said with anger and betrayal, "I wanted the truth. We all wanted the truth. Just telling us wouldn't have hurt us!"  
"You don't know the organization!" I shouted, "they have a way! They always find out! Just look at what happened today! Bourbon found out about the truth and many others could too!"  
"I don't care about the organization," Mitsuhiko yelled in rage, "what I'm mad at you about right now is you not trusting us and...not telling us...and lying to us!"  
"I had no choice!" I roared hoping it's the last time I ever have to say this, "just think Mitsuhiko. You're smart. If I told you, you obviously would have told Ayumi and Genta, then you guys will act suspicious around us, and one way or another the truth will spill, and the organization will find us with no effort!"  
"We wouldn't spill the truth!" he argued back.  
"That's not the point," I hissed, "if I tell you...it's bound to get out one way or another. I'm not saying I didn t trust you. I still trust you and I did back then as well! But telling you would have caused the risk!"  
"There wouldn't have been a risk," Mitsuhiko spat, "we wouldn't have told anyone the secret."  
"Why does it matter anyway..." I groaned, "you know now. And what's so important on knowing about me and Haibara's personal lives? Bourbon caught you, we had to run around to the place Haibara's sister was murdered, rescue you while Haibara stays behind with a murderer! Just forget whatever happened and run along home!"  
He stared at me with eyes filled with disbelief and anger.  
"I would have told you my secrets," he huffed, "I told you my crush!"  
"Like that kind of secret will ever endanger someone's life!"  
"It would! The guys in our class would be totally out for my neck."  
"Just shut up! That's not important right now! I'm sorry if I never told you the secret all right?"  
"You're still not forgiven," he stick out a tongue at me.  
'I'M GOING TO KILL THIS KID,' I thought furiously in my head, but knew that it wouldn't be the best idea.  
"I'm sorry," I sighed, "I'll tell you all my secrets to you from now on."  
"Whatever," he muttered.  
"I...I just couldn't risk anyone else's life okay...?" I muttered so softly, it was incredible how Mitsuhiko heard it.  
"Anyone else's?" he repeated with curiosity.  
"I'll tell you another time..." I murmured, and the kid finally understood.  
"Now listen to me carefully," I ordered him, "go to the playground in front of our school. You'll find Ayumi and Genta there. Tell them whatever you want but you have got to lead all yourselves back to the professor's house. You'll be safe there."  
"Why at the professor's house?" he asked me and I wildly shook my hand.  
"No time to explain. GO!" I demanded as I stood up from the ground, "GO!"  
He stared at me, his eyes calm from the depths of fire and anger.  
"I'm sorry," he muttered to me.  
"You're forgiven, now go," I nodded.  
"No, I actually...I was mad at you for a different reason."  
My eyebrows rose.  
"What?" I asked him.  
He had a hard time spilling it out, his fingers playing with each other, his cheeks growing into a deep shade of pink of embarrassment and shame.  
"I was jealous..." he blurted out.  
"Jealous?" I repeated with surprise.  
"You're so close to Haibara-san...and...always with her. When I found out about your age...I couldn't help but think I had no chance with her now...because of you...and then I started blaming you for everything...and I'm sorry..." he hung his head at the last word.  
I smiled and patted him on the shoulders.  
He looked up with his eyes full of regret.  
"Will you forgive me?"  
"Sure," I grinned, "but right now you have to go and do as I say."  
"But where will you go?" he questioned.  
"Back to Haibara," I replied.  
"I'll come with you-  
"No," I shook my head, "you have to go and find Ayumi and Genta."  
He hesitated for a moment and nodded.  
"Thank you," I told him and ran back to the place of my sick memories. 


	13. Chapter 13

(Mitsuhiko's POV)  
The truth was unbearable and unbelievable. But it was the truth and I had to believe it.  
Conan says he forgives me for my stupid act, but will he truly forgive me if something happens?  
I don't forgive myself that I hit him on the head. How can he really forgive me if something happens to Haibara-san?  
'It's my fault she's there...' I thought, my heart filled with guilt as I ran past the deserted street.  
'If she gets hurt because of me digging into her room...'  
I shuddered at the thought.  
'I'm sorry Haibara-san!' I roared in my head as the wave of regret swallowed me up.  
'I'm sorry! Don't die Haibara-san! Forgive me!'

(Conan's POV)  
I rushed back to the spot where the dreaded memories still haunted me.  
As the sickening thought still circled around my head, I gasped for air and slowed down.  
I was here. But something was wrong.  
The air was deadly silent.  
The opening that used to be a parking lot was not being showered in lights of red and orange. The sunset shimmered my eyes, as the terrifying image struck my head again.  
I glanced around shivering but to my shock and fear I realized there was no one else here but me.  
"God, where did they go?" I whispered, recovering from the shock.  
I tried to think of a reasonable idea of why they wouldn't be here.  
'She's gone...she can't be...' I gulped.  
'You failed to rescue someone again...you failed...'  
"Shut up!" I roared, trying not to believe it.  
'She's not...'

"I'll never forgive myself if Mitsuhiko-kun dies," she flashed me a reassuring smile, "I'll be fine."

'That's what she said...she'd be fine,' I reassured myself.  
'She was willing to risk her life...for Mitsuhiko...' I shook my head in shame of being a coward, 'unlike me who...ran for my life when I witnessed her sister getting murdered.'  
"Tell me where you are Shiho..." I murmured as I walked out of the clearing.

(Ayumi's POV)  
"Mitsuhiko-kun!" I yelled in delight, "there you are!"  
"What have you got for us Mitsuhiko?" Genta asked jumping off the monkey bars.  
"Listen to me," he ordered us, his eyes roaring with determination that I've never seen before, "we've got to get out of here. Where's the professor?"  
"He went home," Genta replied.  
"Follow me," he practically ordered us.  
"What why?" I questioned, worried by my friend's suddenly changed character.  
"No time to explain!" he yelled, and grabbed me by the wrist and broke into a run.  
"Mitsuhiko!" Genta asked, "what's going on?'  
"Where are we going?" I shouted.  
"To the professor's house," he answered, not taking a second to stop, "that's where Conan told me to take you guys."  
"Conan-kun?" I exclaimed, "what did he tell you?"  
"I'll explain when we get to the professor's house!" he thundered, and I nodded obediently, bewildered by Mitsuhiko's determination.  
"You better have a good reason for this!" Genta rasped as he tried to catch up.  
"Hurry up!" he ordered us, and he started to sprint faster-if it was possible.

(Haibara's POV)  
I woke up with a throbbing head and a terrible headache.  
'What?' I thought furiously, trying to concentrate with my head.  
'What happened to me?' I was being carried.  
'Oh my god, I'm being carried by Bourbon!' I realized in shock.  
'What the hell happened to me?' I thought as I quickly snapped my eyes closed again.  
'Think calmly...just remember,' I ordered myself.  
Bitterly I remembered, Bourbon catching my by surprise shortly after Kudo-kun left.  
'Where the hell is he taking me?'  
He was just walking straight through the streets of Beika.  
'Isn't he worried if we're seen?'

"What's going on? Why is dad and mom-  
"Come along Miyano, you're coming with me."  
"What- no! Get off of me!"  
The screams of terror and disgust. The man scooped me up and held me in arms. Leaving the two adults that are bleeding badly in a burning house.

My insides shivered at the thought.  
'It's the past,' I calmed myself, 'don't think about that now. What's important right now is...you're being moved somewhere by a loathsome murderer who happens to be in the organization and killed my parents.'  
'God, you always get to the worst conclusions, don't you?' A exasperated voice inside muttered bitterly.  
'Yes, I do,' I muttered back.

(Professor Agasa's POV)  
I walked back home after leaving the kids who insisted on playing more.  
They used my phone, telling their parents they'll be staying out a bit longer.  
I asked them if they'll be okay by themselves because I had some business to attend to.  
My project for the convention next week was my chance to show the world my cool inventions.  
They smiled understandingly and waved at me signaling me that I'm free to go.  
I yelled goodbye and rushed back to the lab.  
Only when I arrived I found someone already there...waiting for me.  
"H,hasake!" Ai-chan shouted in alarm, "no! Get out of here! It's-  
"Hello old man," a murderous voice ringed in my ear.  
I nervously tilted my head to the right to find a knife beside my neck.  
"W,what?" I managed to gasp.  
"What do you what from him? Let him go!" I heard Ai-chan yell.  
"I want to make to watch you suffer," he smiled such a nasty look, "after you see those beside you one by one disappear. That was after all your greatest fear."  
"One by one..." I saw Ai-chan's eyes grow wider in fear, and clutch her head and shake slowly as if she was trying not to believe it.  
"One by one," the man hissed, "first daddy leaves, then mommy, then Akemi, then-  
"N,no!" she yelled, her face turning merging into pain and guilt, "kill me! He's not involved!"  
"He knows you, and has helped you," the man replied, "that's enough for a reason."  
"Let him go Bourbon," she emphasized each syllable in rage.  
My mind was racing and my face wasn't able to hide the shock and fear that a men in the black organization was in fact-holding a knife beside my head- but also I was surprised to see Ai-chan so...uncontrolled.  
"Professor!" a voice screamed from behind the door I was standing in front of. I jumped in surprise and recognized the voice.  
I saw Ai-chan mouth a small 'no' and Bourbon grin wider.  
"More companion," Bourbon laughed softly, "Sherry, why don't you greet our guests?"  
Ai-chan managed to slip back her calm and indifferent face, but as she walked past me I noticed the glint in her eye that showed what she was truly feeling.  
The door handle slowly turned, and opened. The silence screaming in the room with panic and fear.

(Mitsuhiko's POV)  
"Profes-  
I gasped in shock and my eyes grew in disbelief as I saw who greeted me at the door.  
"H,haibara-san?" I stuttered, "is it really you? How-  
She shot me a look that told me to shut my mouth and so I did, not wanting to anger the girl. Her face was wet with cold sweat, and her eyes told me there was danger ahead.  
The horrible thought in my brain was confirmed when the familiar horrifying voice called out.  
"Come in," Bourbon shouted, and I froze in terror, my eyes not leaving Haibara-san's face.  
She gave me a look that seemed so sad and depressing than ever.  
I heaved in all my courage and took a step forward.  
"I'm sorry," I heard Haibara-san whisper so quietly, I doubted even if she said it.  
We entered the house and immediately I saw what was going on.  
Bourbon was standing against the left side of the wall beside the door, holding a knife beside the professor's head.  
"Eep!" Ayumi squeaked.  
"Welcome," the man flashed another one of his evil glares that made me hate him so much.  
"Who are you?" Genta demanded.  
"Bourbon," he waved the knife at us like a greeting, "nice to meet you."  
Genta and Ayumi both gasped as they saw the knife.  
"Don't be scared. I don't mean to frighten you," Bourbon laughed.  
"Let them go Bourbon," Haibara growled.  
"I thought I already told you the answer," Bourbon replied curtly.  
"I'm afraid I don't really agree to your thoughts," Haibara spoke so calmly it made me wonder for a second if she was ever mad or scared at all. "No," Bourbon shook his head.  
"That's too bad," Haibara smirked, "looks like I'll have to force you to say what I want to hear."  
"Don't try anything," Bourbon roared, showing us his knife.  
She frowned slightly and stood defensively in front of me, Ayumi and Genta-kun.  
"You'll never be able to save them," Bourbon said, "otherwise no one would have died so far."  
I noticed Haibara-san flinch but quickly recover her cool facade.  
"I wasn't able to save them," she replied coolly, "but I'm not about to let these kids and the professor get hurt."  
"H,Haibara-san?" I stuttered staring dumbly at the back of her lovely strawberry blond hair.  
"Ai-chan, what's going on?" Ayumi shivered, "whose this man? Why does he have a knife?"  
"I'm sorry Ayumi-chan," I heard her whisper with sorrow, "don't worry. I promise I won't let him hurt you."  
Ayumi-chan gulped and shuddered.  
"Don't cry," Haibara-san's soothing voice seemed to have calmed Ayumi-chan for a second.  
"Enough chit chat," Bourbon cackled, "down to business."  
"You're not killing them," Haibara-san said her voice filled with determination and threat.  
Bourbon merely laughed.  
"You defiantly seem cheerful from the last time I saw you," Haibara-san's voice seemed to turn a bit mocking, "after Moyoco? No, Chianti?"  
His grin vanished in less than a second.  
"Shut up," he said coldly, his eyes burning in hatred and anger.  
I flinched in fear but Haibara-san went on.  
"Recovered so soon?"  
"I'm warning you Sherry-  
"Is this what you call a pathetic excused for revenge?"  
"You, you dare?"  
"I never avenged my parent's death, how great is that Bourbon," Haibara'san smirked and Bourbon's face turned hard as stone.  
"Don't Haibara-san," I whispered in the girl's ear but she ignored me.  
"You were doomed to die anyway Sherry," the man growled.  
"Yes, but I guess fate has a way of turning the tables," Haibara sighed.  
Yes fine I agree. I m going to kill you because of Chianti. I want you to feel what I felt. I believe I felt way too much of that when I was a child. "Aren't you scared?"  
"What?" Haibara's face turned into a confused frown.  
"You're facing the man that overpowered you from years ago. The man that killed your parents. Left them burn in a house with injuries from a gun. Aren't you scared with me holding a knife and approaching everyone you ever befriended with?"  
"The case with my parents was marked as a accident. The organization wins. A man's holding a knife at me while I'm weaponless. The organization wins. You're right I should be scared. And I am," Haibara-san's eyes flickered.  
"How do you know if I'm not terrified from that night? You carried me out of the house even though I begged to stay. I watched the house burn down. I heard the screams of my parents before they died. The organization separated me from my sister, and forced me to work on a drug. Akemi died and no one explains. How do you know if I'm not haunted by those memories?"  
"So you are?" Bourbon inquired.  
"What does it matter to you?" Haibara-san snapped, "shouldn't you be at the organization, doing what you were doing? Still moping around because of Chianti's death?"  
The man's movements were so quick, it happened in a blink of an eye.  
His face was raged with anger and the knife in his hand was gone but was replaced with a gun.  
'What?' I thought in confusion, 'where-  
My questions were answered as I found Haibara-san putting her hand over her side hips where a knife was sticking out of. Blood was spreading on her shirt quickly and was forming a puddle underneath my foot.  
"Haibara-san!" I gasped as I tried to help her.  
She shook my hand over, and continued to glare at the man with hatred and a hint of a challenge.  
"Don't test me Sherry," Bourbon shouted, his face twisted into anger and evil.  
"You know what it feels like to loose someone you love," she whispered so softly, "don't do this Bourbon. You were the only one in the organization that understood my feelings."  
"Why should I listen to you?" he barked, "Chianti died because of your drug."  
"Don't blame me for the drug," Haibara-san grinned weakly, "I was forced to make it. I don't know why Chianti got a hold of it. What did she do anyway?"  
"I don't know!" Bourbon shouted.  
"Aptx 4869 wasn't suppose to kill anyway...you perfectly know what it's affects are suppose to do," Haibara sighed.  
"But it did end up killing didn't it?"  
"I'm not exactly thrilled am I? Being called a murderer isn't a joy."  
"Whatever," Bourbon murmured.  
"Please Bourbon...leave us alone..."  
The man glared at us, his eyes suddenly turning a bit understanding and warm.  
"Why are you willing to risk your life for them?" Bourbon questioned, his eyebrows burrowing in curiosity.  
"I don't know..." Haibara-san shrugged, "I guess I don't want anyone to die because of me."  
"You've changed so much," Bourbon grinned.  
"How?" Haibara-san frowned.  
"You just changed," he shook his head and smiled.  
"Goodbye Sherry," Bourbon smiled and lowered his gun, "I won't kill you or harm your friends."  
Haibara-san's eyes widened in disbelief.  
I guess she never imagined him to actual listen to her.  
"Not believing it?" Bourbon sneered, reading Haibara-san expression.  
"You've changed too Bourbon," Haibara-san smiled warmly, "I'm glad."  
"Here," he tossed the gun at Haibara-san who caught it easily, "it's yours. I was borrowing it."  
"Borrowing," Haibara-san rolled her eyes and then sighed.  
"What made you change your mind?" she asked.  
"Change my mind in what?"  
"Uh, in killing me and everyone else?"  
"I don't know," he shook his head, "maybe..."  
"Maybe what?"  
"I won't kill you...in one condition."  
"What?"  
"I want to see you in your beautiful true form again."  
My eyes widened and so did Haibara-san's.  
"Okay," Haibara-san smiled a bit, "it's deal."  
You know I love you right Shiho? I heard Haibara-san gasp.  
She smiled and mouthed a small thanks.  
I m er sorry about the wound, he looked worried now. Was he even a murderer? I began to doubt. WHAT? Of course he is! He killed Haibara-san s parents!  
It s okay, Haibara-san smiled, I felt worse. Should I take you to a hospital? he offered.  
I ll be fine. Oh, okay You always did act nice to me even though I detested you so much after my parent s death. I had no choice. What do you mean? they had my little sister captured They said he shuddered, if I didn t do what they said they ll kill her. Haibara-san s mouth opened in shock.  
I never knew She died I m sorry to hear that I guess I shouldn t hate you that much You didn t have a choice Like me when I made the drug. Just forgiving me like that? he asked with mild bewilderment.  
Haibara-san just nodded slowly.  
Why thank you Sherry, he laughed, I felt so sorry for you and I hated myself when I killed them Your face was agonizingly painful to look at. Those pleading eyes you know It reminded so much of my sister Haibara s eyes turned sympathetic.  
Will we meet again? Haibara-san asked, much to my surprise. They were just about to kill each other and now they re buddies?  
"Until the next time," Bourbon smiled, for the first time NOT looking alarmingly dangerous.  
"Goodbye," Haibara-san told the figure walking out of the door.  
She turned around to me, wearing this weak grin of hers.  
"Haibara-san?" I asked cautiously.  
"It's fine now..." she muttered and I caught her in shock just before she collapsed to the floor.  



	14. Chapter 14

(Haibara's POV)  
It was dark. I felt overwhelmed by the darkness. It was like I stumbled into something like a endless pit I couldn't get out of. Trying to crawl back out and escape but the eternal black trapped you within, leaving you helpless.  
The side part of my body throbbed a bit, but the pain wasn't unbearable.  
What happened to me was so strange.  
I met face to face of the man who killed my parents.  
I knew for a fact, Bourbon was half a murderer with the coldness that left me shivering, but half of him was the man that was forgiving and gentle. The part that was warm and understanding, and didn't kill me today.  
I obviously should be enraged to see Bourbon suddenly act all buddies with me but I had realized today that I shouldn't be mad. Call me crazy but I thought for a second, pity for the man.  
His little sister was captured by the organization. He had no choice to kill my parents to save his little sister.  
Like what I had to do to save my sister.  
Like what my sister tried to do to save me.  
'But is it right?' a thought shot out from my head.  
'Should I be mad or understanding?'  
Killing someone you don't know to save your beloved. The choice can come quite easy if you're trained in the organization from birth. I remembered the day the organization said I could leave with my sister happily if I finish a drug APTX 4869. And I believed it.  
'How stupid was I...' I thought, 'I actually trusted and believed their words.'  
Like Bourbon had a choice to pull the trigger or not at my parents, I had a choice to perfect the drug.  
Bourbon completed his mission but I did not.  
I'm glad that I failed in making the drug, but it did end up killing two innocent people.  
Bourbon's love-Chianti. And Pisco, a man in the organization that was proven worthless.  
'If I never started the drug and refused from the beginning...Kudo-kun's life wouldn't be ruined...two people wouldn't have died...' I thought as I drifted off into regret.  
'But what happens if you made that choice and refused? Your sister would have been murdered...and so would you.' a thought questioned back.  
'My sister would have died anyway...'  
'You would have died.'  
'I don't care...I wouldn't care. I'm not afraid of death.'  
'You're not afraid?'  
'I'm afraid to be left alone...while everyone dies... I'm afraid of responsibility towards someone's life. I'm afraid that I'm not sure if what I decided back then with the drug is wrong or right.'  
'It was right...' the voice hissed.  
'Killing someone else for my happiness isn't right...' I realized, 'no...it's wrong... I regret it. I wonder if Bourbon thought about what I thought.'  
'He didn't. And you shouldn't. You did the right thing.'  
'I know for a fact I didn't,' I frowned to myself in the dark, 'Kudo-kun will also say that.'  
'Why does it matter what he thinks? Why does it matter now?' the voice grew angrier and louder, 'what makes you think his sense of justice has the right to judge you? He's not God!'  
'It doesn't matter anymore... But I just want to make sure that it's wrong so in the future I don't make the same mistake.'  
'So you'll let Akemi die and not do the drug if you had a second chance?'  
I didn't answer that thought.  
"I don't know what's right or wrong anymore..." I whispered, "am I suppose to take that choice and murder to let the people I love survive? Or not murder but let the love die...?'  
My thoughts were strangled in confusion and anger.  
The answer just wouldn't come out.  
'Just forget about it...' the voice sighed, 'it's the past.'  
'I want to know though...'  
I want to know...  
I want to know...  
I want to know...  
What will you say Kudo-kun?  
My eyelids snapped open at the thought.

(Conan's POV)  
The nurses told me the injuries wasn't fatal, and that she would be waking up soon.  
I smiled in relief.  
"God you had a knife sticking out of your stomach..." I sighed as I shook my head with my eyes closed.  
"Side hips."  
I quickly opened my eyes and found the source of the voice.  
The sweet, angelic voice.  
"H,Haibara!" I shouted happily.  
"Kudo-kun," she whispered and grinned weakly.  
"Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine now."  
I saw her eyes turn uneasy for some reason and look away.  
"Haibara?" I questioned her with a worried look.  
"What would you have done Kudo-kun?" she asked.  
"Huh?" "If you were me...and you had a choice to make a killing drug and save your sister... or refuse the choice and leave your sister to die... Which would you choose?"  
I frowned slightly. I wasn't expecting something like this from her.  
Why do you ask?" "I need an answer..."  
"...Well, your sister...would have died anyway..."  
"But what if you were absolutely positive they'll keep their part of the bargain?" she asked her eyes turning towards me. The deep blue waves looking right at me.  
"I suppose...I'll refuse..." I huffed, after thinking about it.  
Her eyebrows rose.  
"Really?" she asked in a tone that told me she was not believing me.  
"Yes," I replied.  
"Why would you refuse?" she inquired her eyes turning slightly annoyed and confused.  
"I...because it's wrong."  
"How is it wrong?" she frowned.  
"It's killing someone in any way."  
"So you'll just let someone die? The person that means to you the most?"  
"It's just what's right," I reasoned with her.  
"Why do you think your justice is right? What makes you think whatever you and your damn police think is right? What makes you judge me or whoever's choice?"  
"Well, it'll turn you into a murderer!"  
"But you'll save the one that you love!"  
"You'll break the law."  
"To save someone you love."  
"I...what's right is though not to kill."  
"You make it sound so easy," she grumbled.  
"It should be," I frowned, "the bible makes it pretty clear. Do not murder."  
"Since when were you biblical?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing.  
"I dunno."  
"You'll never change..."  
"What?" "I know it's not right to kill someone for your own selfishness but...when that moment comes to you...it's so hard. I'm beginning to regret my choice of making the drug."  
"I know..."  
"No, you don't," she sighed.  
"How do I not know?"  
"Because you've made it pretty clear when you first saw me, Bourbon, and my sister that we're criminals."  
I flinched.  
"I did not," I denied.  
"Yes you did," she said flatly.  
"But-  
"Just admit it you did."  
"I didn't mean it though. You're not a murderer."  
"You sure made that clear on the first day we met," she laughed coldly. The warm laugh I rarely heard was gone and replaced with bitterness, "and don't lie. I know for a fact...even though I didn't want to, I'm a murderer. But am I true murderer if I didn't want to?"  
"It's called manslaughter if it's an accident."  
"But it wasn't a accident. I made the choice."  
"What about Bourbon?"  
"Huh?"  
"Is he a true criminal? Judging by your eyes?"  
"Of course," I frowned.  
"Why? He was in the same position as me."  
"He killed your parents!" I reminded her in outrage. Was she teaming with the enemy?  
"Well, I do believe my drug was responsible for two deaths."  
"I... yeah..."  
"So what's the difference between me and Bourbon?"  
"...I..."  
"You well decided for us already we're murderers. But I want to know if we made the right or wrong decision."

"Answer me Kudo," she emphasized my name with impatience.  
"I, I don't know... I can't answer for you. The answer from the detective or the police will defiantly be wrong...but the answer from me...Conan Edogawa...I can't make a choice."  
She sighed.  
"Thanks for your honesty," she muttered, sounding calmer, but still troubled.  
"I-why are you thinking about this?"  
"I want to make the right decision later on if I have to decided something like.  
"Right..."  
"Whatever..." she murmured, "my head's a mess."  
"Don't think so much," I told her gently.  
"Good advice," she smiled a true smile.  
"You'll be leaving the hospital next morning," I whispered softly, "get some sleep."  
"Goodnight Shinichi..." her voice echoed throughout my brain.  
"Goodnight...Shiho." 


	15. Chapter 15

(Third person's POV)  
"Students, I have some sad news!" the teacher announced with a sad frown, "Conan-kun and Haibara-san will be leaving tomorrow to another country."  
"EH?" the students gasped in surprise.  
The girls looked like they were about to faint after hearing the news of Edogawa Conan leave.  
The boys looked like they'll drop dead any second from the news the Ice Queen Haibara Ai will be gone.  
But most of all the three trio- Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko looked the most shocked.  
They immediately stormed to the two at recess demanding a reason.  
"Why are you leaving?" Genta asked.  
"And why didn't you tell us sooner?" Ayumi cried.  
"What's going on?" Mitsuhiko questioned.  
"We, er...have to..." Conan couldn't find the right explanation and glanced quickly towards Haibara for answers.  
"Our parents want us to come back home to America," Haibara explained, "my mother's coming tomorrow to pick me and Edogawa-kun up."  
"Why is Conan going with you?" Genta inquired.  
"Because Edogawa-kun's mother is a close friend of my mother's," Haibara replied, not showing a hint of hesitation, "my mother was glad to pick Edogawa-kun up when she heard her friend might not make it to the airport because of work."  
'God, Haibara you're a miracle worker,' Conan sighed in relief.  
"Are you sure that's the reason!" Ayumi didn't seem to buy it, "not because of that mad men that chased you and Conan-kun?"  
She didn't even blink.  
"You know perfectly well that we shouldn't discuss about that," Haibara shook her head, "not here."  
"I know it's not safe but..." Ayumi sobbed, "you can't go! Mitsuhiko-kun and Conan-kun told me everything! And first I was...scared and mad...but, but..."  
She wiped her tears away and sniffled.  
"I'm not mad at you anymore Ai-chan!" she cried, "so please don't go! That big mean bad people! We could take care of them! Us, together!"  
"We can't, don't you see?" Haibara sighed, and her eyes turned sympathetic.  
"Edogawa-kun told you about the...shrinking right?" Haibara asked softly.  
Ayumi hiccupped and nodded.  
"And...about our past?"  
Another nod.  
"I'll tell you the truth..." Haibara said gently, "we're never going to leave Beika."  
"What?" Ayumi squeaked.  
"I...was successful in making a antidote to our...strange incident. We're planning on taking it and...turning back to our normal selves."  
Ayumi stopped crying and stared at Haibara with her bloodshot eyes.  
"And...?" she asked cautiously.  
"After we're back to our normal bodies we'll be staying here just as same," Haibara smiled warmly.  
"In my house," Conan announced.  
"In your house?" Haibara's eyebrows rose.  
"Uh, yeah... I thought we should stay in a larger house, er...that is- you and the professor as well!" Conan laughed, and quickly added after catching a stare from Haibara that said, 'why-should-I-move-in-alone-with-you?'  
"Right..." Haibara's suspicious stares died out into a mildly amused smile.  
"So...you're not really leaving?" Ayumi whispered.  
"We're not leaving...but we must keep it a secret...or else...you know what happens," Conan muttered.  
Ayumi gulped, Genta nodded dumbly.  
"But...will we be able to visit sometimes?" Mitsuhiko asked hesitantly.  
"That would be highly dangerous!" Haibara immediately replied.  
"But, but we have to see you!" Mitsuhiko blurted, "we'll miss you so much!"  
"...okay...once in a while," Haibara smiled, "I promise."  
Mitsuhiko nodded sadly.  
"Can we...spend the last evening together?" he asked.  
"Sure," Haibara grinned.  
"As...in just you and me?"  
Haibara turned to the madly blushing boy with curious eyes, and Conan's eyes grew wider.  
"Er, Haibara, didn't you say we had to erm...plan out the things today?" Conan quickly asked.  
Haibara ignored his questioned and gave a small nod to Mitsuhiko.  
Conan looked shocked and Mitsuhiko looked like he was just about to fly over to heaven.  
"REALLY?" Mitsuhiko exclaimed, "then I'll meet you in front of the professor s house at three o'clock today!" "Okay," Haibara replied and Conan grumbled something quietly that sounded like "whatever...he doesn't have chance."  
"What was that Kudo?" Haibara questioned sharply.  
"N,nothing!" Conan put up an innocent grin. 


	16. Chapter 16

(Conan's POV)  
"Dinner's on the table," Haibara shouted as she walked out of the kitchen, "heat it up when you want to eat."  
"Where do you think you're going?" I asked as I flipped around from the TV screen.  
"Kudo-kun," she said in mild surprise, "what are you doing here?"  
"I've been here for the past thirty minutes," I growled, "or didn't you notice me? You were too busy getting ready for your date with a first grader."  
I don't know what came over me but I felt this strange feeling inside of me that didn't approve at all where she was going, and who she will be with.  
"What are you talking about?" she questioned, "it's not a date."  
"Well he asked you out," I pointed out, "and you said yes."  
"What else was I suppose to do?"  
"Uh, say no," I stated the obvious.  
"Unlike you, I don't want to crash little kids dreams," she smirked, "you know how depressed Yosida-san was when you erm...rejected her a few weeks ago."  
"That was different!" I shouted in defense, "she wasn't serious about going out with me!"  
"Oh really?" her question ringed in my ear with high mockery.  
"Shut up," I hissed.  
"Whatever," she sighed.  
"You won't be safe," I told her. "Not safe from what?"  
"That lunatic that suddenly became your future boyfriend," I snarled, "disappointment to Mitsuhiko. I didn't know you were a player."  
She blinked twice and wore a expression that I couldn't read.  
"So...you're calling me a player," she asked, her voice sounding calm, but I felt like there was this fire boiling inside.  
I didn't back down.  
"So what if I am?" I spat.  
"Coming from the boy that breaks first graders hearts," she hissed.  
"We're not talking about me. We're talking about you," I retorted.  
"And how did this conversation get to the idea that Bourbon is my future boyfriend? He is twelve years older than me in my normal age."  
"Oh not very picky with ages are you?"  
Her eyes glared down at me and I flinched at the coldness inside. It wasn't hard to understand why the organization let her join. Her eyes and actions were so perfectly intimidating.  
"What makes you think I have a sick obsession towards Bourbon?" she questioned.  
"Oh gee I don't know," I snorted, "your expressions tells everything."  
"My expression?" her eyes flashed darker.  
"He killed my parents," she muttered after a moment.  
"You didn't seem that bothered with that," I huffed, "you even promised to meet each other again."  
"God Kudo, what else was I suppose to do?" she shouted in exasperation, "I had a knife sticking out of my side, he had a goddamn gun in his hand! I had to calm him down some how or else someone would have died!"  
"But you didn't have to use your...your..." I hesitated for a moment and yelled, "your feminine charms!"  
"My feminine charms," she repeated each word with disbelief, "is this what this argument is about? In case you haven't noticed it was Bourbon who got to the idea of 'meeting each other again' and I agreed because he would have killed us if I didn't."  
"What makes you think he would have?" I snapped, "it seems as though you think he has a good heart! A good heart for a bloody murderer!"  
"At least he's a bloody murderer who understands!" "Understand what?"  
"The feeling after you had to kill someone to save someone else's bloody life!" she shouted, her icy blue robs shining in anger.  
"Oh and what does he have to say about it?" "He's a murderer and a part of him enjoys killing people but a part of him that I know has the understanding that what he's doing is wrong!" "Now you're telling me he has a multi personality disorder?"  
"That's not the point!" she yelled.  
"Then what's the point?"  
"How did we even get to this stupid conversation?"  
"I don't know. I'm pretty sure it started with your date with Mitsuhiko and your arrangement with Bourbon."  
"And me forgetting about your very existence," she hissed angrily.  
"That too," I nodded.  
"You're unbelievable Kudo..." she sighed her cool eyes flaring up, "how could you possibly think that way? I'm going out today to ease Mitsuhiko's mind because the poor kid must be so confused after all the gun shooting and explaining of the truth. I feel grateful for Bourbon that he changed his mind last minute about me being a murderer to his girlfriend and him deciding not to kill anyone. I am grateful of that. And slightly happy that he's went through the same situation as me and that he might have the answer to my questions. Obviously a detective like you should know my feelings to him are neutral because either way, we both killed someone dear to each other, whether we wanted to or not!"  
I looked at her, my mind putting up with everything she just said, and my heart aching with regret.  
"I...I take it back..." I whispered in shame, "I'm sorry I misunderstood you and Bourbon's relationship... and...with Mitsuhiko's as well."  
"Glad it's all fixed up now," she spat and walked out the door so quickly I barely had the time to sit up and apologize to her sincerely.  
'Why is it always like this with us...?' I sighed, 'why can't we be those 'meant-for-each-other' couples and listen to each other?' 'Why did I even start this?' I thought, 'is it because I was...jealous?'  
'Of course you were,' a voice hissed in the back of my head.  
'Nice going Kudo...' I thought bitterly as I just stared at the door. The image of her storming out the door with anger but with enough grace and beauty didn't leave my head.  



End file.
